Time to Lead
by cathy71967
Summary: This is an alternate universe fic that begins firmly grounded in season 6 "A Change is Gonna Come" and veers off sharply after that. With all due respect to my hero, Aaron Sorkin, I think Josh and Donna should have been on the same Presidential election team a LOT sooner.
1. Time to Lead Part 1

Title: Time to Lead  
Author: Cathy Miller ( .com)  
Timeline: 6th season, A Change is Gonna Come  
Disclaimer: All the good writing is from the show, the rest is my original work.  
Feedback: It's only fair to send something back…  
Category: Drama  
Rating: PG, a little language

"I would also like to find a way to be involved in the ongoing pursuit of peace in that region  
and yes, Diane I would like to return to public life. I think I can make a contribution." John  
Hoynes was telling the interviewer as Josh Lyman watched him on TV dispassionately.  
The son of a bitch could do it too, Josh admitted. John Hoynes was that good.

Josh looked over at his desk and the copy of John Hoynes' book Full Disclosure that  
Hoynes had personally sent over to him. Inside the front cover, Hoynes had written an  
inscription, "Josh, Time to lead, John". Josh was ashamed to admit just how tempting that  
offer was; and it was an offer. It was a legitimate offer from a Democratic heavyweight who  
wanted him to run things, which was a far cry from his current standing at the Bartlet  
White House.

With a heavy sigh, Josh turned off the TV by remote and went to meet the man himself.  
He slipped into the front passenger seat of John's car and turned in his seat to face the  
former Vice President of the United States.

"Thanks for coming, Josh. Did you see the interview?"

"No." Josh lied easily. He was a political operative after all.

"Did you look at the book?" Hoynes questioned further.

"No." Josh lied again.

"Okay, if you're going to bust my chops, Josh, let's get it over with."

"I have no idea why I'm here, Mr. Vice President." Josh said impatiently. John Hoynes just  
met his eyes levelly.

"Yes, you do." Hoynes replied. "Now I've done things I can never undo, lost one marriage,  
I'm trying to save another, let down my children, fallen off the pedestal hard and had to  
deal with the consequences. But when I look around and see Bingo Bob Russell and Eric  
Baker I see plenty of reasons to stay sober."

"You think the American people are going to welcome you back with open arms?"

"I'm a better person and I'll be a better candidate than I was 8 years ago." Hoynes argued.

"You lost that race." Josh reminded him.

"I lost that race…when I lost you." John replied. "There's much to be done and seven  
years of following isn't enough, it's time to start leading. You're never going to be Leo  
McGarry to Jed Bartlet, but you can be Leo to me. I'm running for President. I want you  
with me. I want you to run my campaign."

*******************************  
It had been a hell of a week. All hell had broken loose over a flap with the Taiwanese flag  
and after weeks of negotiating the summit in China, Josh had been thrown into putting out  
all the fires. Just when he thought he'd gotten the flames down to embers, CJ threw  
gasoline on it. She would be going with the President to China, not Josh and she  
backpedaled on their agreement to let Hunt speak on the floor regarding Taiwanese  
independence.

Josh felt a burning in his gut; an impotence in his job he'd never experienced before. If he  
was honest with himself, he'd admit that it started when the President bypassed him and  
appointed C.J. as his new Chief of Staff. He'd tried to be happy for his friend, he really  
had but he couldn't help but wonder why the President hadn't chosen him.

He could pinpoint exactly when it was that he made his decision. The President, and C.J.,  
and had just left for the China summit (that he'd painstakingly put together) and Donna  
had readjusted his schedule to fit in a meeting with Charlie. When he'd questioned why  
she'd done that, she'd admitted that it was a 'direct order from C.J.'. That was the moment  
he'd snapped. Oh, he'd continued to do his job and went through the motions, but part of  
him had already left the White House.

***************************************  
"Donna, can I see you for a minute please?" Josh stood next to her desk with serious eyes.

Donna had noted a change in her boss ever since C.J. was promoted and she supposed  
that was to be expected, but it still concerned her. It wasn't PTSD level concern, but it was  
concern, and now he was standing at her desk quietly requesting a private word with her?  
This was definitely out of character. She couldn't imagine what this was about.

Josh took a seat behind his desk and motioned for her to shut his door before she sat  
down. He leaned forward on his desk.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I've made some decisions and since some of them  
concern you I wanted to talk to you first."

"Decisions about what?"

"About resigning my position as Deputy Chief of-"

"No." Donna said calmly. "You can't do that Josh. The President needs you."

"Donna-"

"I know it must have hurt you that he appointed C.J. to Leo's job and I don't understand  
his reasoning myself, but you can't let that overshadow all the good you've accomplished  
on his behalf. The whole China trip? That was all because of you."

"I appreciate your loyalty, but-"

"Screw loyalty. This has nothing to do with loyalty. None of this has had anything to do  
with loyalty, or you'd be the one sitting in Leo's chair right now. This about trying to stop  
my friend from making what I think what be a terrible mistake, personally and politically.  
Give it a little more time Josh. Things will get better."

"They won't." Josh said simply. "What's more you know they won't. If you're worried about  
your position here; don't. If the next Deputy want to bring a different assistant on board C.  
J. will find another spot for you. I'll see to it."

"You think I'm worried about my job?" Donna said, insulted.

"I would be if I were you."

"What are you going to do?" she asked him.

Josh's eyes dropped down to his desk. "I haven't made a final decision yet."

"You're going to run Hoynes, aren't you?" He should have known she'd figure it out  
between all the phone calls and the personalized book Hoynes had sent him. Donna was  
bright and had been around enough to put 2 and 2 together.

"I haven't made a final decision yet." Josh repeated. "But I'm going out to Iowa with him for  
a bit after I tell the President I'm resigning."

"And when will that be?"

"I asked for some time with him first thing tomorrow. My resignation will be effective close  
of business Friday."

"That's less than a week." Donna noted. "You don't think there's any chance he won't  
accept it?"

"I think there's absolutely no chance he won't accept it." Josh responded. "At this point in  
his term, he'll replace me quickly and easily."

"I think you're wrong." Donna told him and made him smile.

"I don't know where I'm going to end up or I'd ask you to come with me." Josh wanted to  
make that very clear. "I'd give anything to have you come with me."

Donna looked closely at him and realized what he was trying to say without actually saying  
the words. "I know."

"If you want me to make some calls for you before I go…"

"I can make my own calls, but thanks." Donna got up and walked to the door. "I'm glad you  
told me first, but I still think the President is going to try to talk you out of it."

Josh watched her go and wished she was right. He'd love for the President to try to talk  
him out of it. At least then he'd know his contribution here meant something to the  
President. But in the end, the President accepted Josh's resignation and thanked him for  
his service, just as Josh predicted he would.

Chapter 2  
Iowa was cold. He hadn't remembered how cold it was. Or maybe it was just the fact that  
his body was 8 years older the first time he'd been here with Governor Bartlet. Thinking  
back to that time reminded him of Donna. When he'd left his office for the last time on  
Friday, she had been unusually subdued, but she'd come to the Hawk and Dove with the  
rest of the gang for an alcoholic sendoff. At the end of the evening, she'd hugged him and  
reminded him to 'do good'.

Josh opened his cell and tried to call her again. It had been 5 days since he'd spoken to  
her. He'd never gone 5 days without speaking to her since she came back to Bartlet's  
campaign that fateful April. Truth be told, he was kind of hoping that this new dynamic, her  
not working for him anymore, might finally open some doors between them, but he couldn'  
t possibly open doors between them if she wouldn't even return his damn calls!

"You just got here, how can you look so vexed already?" John Hoynes asked him when he  
met him on the sidewalk.

"I was born vexed." Josh replied. "Has it always been this cold here?" he asked as he  
snapped his phone shut.

"It's the heartland, Josh. Breath the fresh air." John instructed.

"Fresh air doesn't agree with me, sir." Josh looked around. "What are you doing in terms  
of television spots?"

"Jeff will give you the media schedules for here and in New Hampshire, but don't you  
mean what are 'we' doing in terms of television spots?"

"I haven't signed on to anything yet." Josh reminded him.

"Maybe not, but I know who my competition is. You're going to turn me down for Russell?  
Or maybe you have some masochistic tendencies I was unaware of and you'd like to help  
Santos break his 2% hold in Iowa."

"Who says I have to run with any of you?" Josh countered.

"You are a political animal, Josh. You'd have to be in a coma to sit this race out." John told  
him. "We're doing a coffee clutch at the Hardware store down the street. Come listen and  
tell me that you think of David's answer for me on health care."

"Sure." Josh agreed and followed Hoynes and his entourage toward their destination. He  
watched Hoynes carefully for signs of weakness during the informal speech and the Q & A  
that followed afterwards. Hoynes was good; he was very good. But was he the one? Was  
this his time?

They went back to Hoynes' Des Moines office and Josh listened to the back and forth  
between the staffers and Hoynes. A few of the people assembled had worked nationals  
before and David Thompson, Hoynes new speech writer had serious potential. But  
throughout the entire meeting, Josh did not add a word. He didn't want to get invested in  
this fight yet. He couldn't figure out what it was, but something was holding him back.

He had dinner with John Hoynes and they talked about some strategy, but Josh was  
holding back and John Hoynes knew it. Hoynes also knew Josh well enough to know that  
he didn't play nice with others when he was pushed. So Hoynes told him goodnight and  
they made plans to meet at the candidate forum the following morning.

Josh was restless and decided to walk a bit. He found himself across the street from  
Congressman Matt Santos who was giving an impassioned speech about something to a  
small knot of voters who were giving him their attention. Curious, Josh walked over and  
listened from a distance.

"We're falling further and further behind every other industrialized country in test scores. If  
we don't make some radical, sweeping changes, our kids won't be able to compete  
globally." Santos was telling them.

"I don't see why our kids HAVE to compete globally. We've got good job right here at  
home." A resident disputed.

"Yes, we do, but our marketplace is changing and now the food you grow and the goods  
you produce are being sold worldwide. Your competition isn't just across town or even  
across the country, it's across the world." Santos looks up and catches sight of Josh.  
"This man," he said indicating Josh, "is Josh Lyman and he's spent the last 7 years in the  
White House dealing with foreign trade agreements. Josh, tell these good people where  
most of our jobs are going right now."

"Overseas." Josh played along.

"That's right. We need to be sure our children are prepared for the world they're going to  
inherit. By extending the school year, we can give teachers the time they need to teach  
the skills that will ensure our future in a global economy." Santos told them before his  
assistant interrupted and told Matt it was time to get going. Matt thanked his audience for  
their time and walked over to shake hands with Josh.

"I heard rumors you were headed out here to stump for Hoynes." Matt greeted him.

"Congressman." Josh acknowledged him.

"Matt, please, so the rumors are true?"

"I'm still keeping an open mind about who I'll work for." Josh told him and Matt's eyebrows  
shot up.

"Really? Then I have a shot at landing you for my campaign?"

"I said open minded, not suicidal, Congressman."

"Ouch." Matt put his hand over his heart in mock pain. "And it's Matt."

"What are you doing out here, sir?" Josh asked candidly.

"I'm running for President, Josh." Matt replied easily.

"There are 7 Democratic candidates in the field and you're tied for last place. You're  
fundraising is non-existent so even if you did have a viable message nobody would hear  
it."

"Don't sugar coat it for me Josh, tell it to me straight." Matt laughed. "There are issues to  
be raised here. Important issues."

"Ah-kay." Josh tipped his head to show he wasn't going to fight about it. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Matt replied and Josh turned away, but he didn't make it 10 feet before he  
turned back.

"Hey, Congressman; free advice. When you're on the street, stick with local issues or ask  
the voters for their input. Save your revolution of the entire American educational system  
for venues where they can't get up and walk away so easily." Josh advised him.

"Thanks!" Matt laughed again. "I'll keep that in mind."

Josh shook his head and walked back to his hotel. Matt Santos had done great work in  
Congress but as a Presidential candidate? The man hadn't a hope in hell.

****************************************  
Josh had never been a morning person, so his eyes were still bleary when he made his  
way down to the hotel meeting room where the candidates were gathering for their "Ask  
the Candidate" forum. He walked directly to the coffee urn and filled his cup to the rim he  
took a sip and slowly turned to where the candidates were gathering near the dais. His  
eyes scanned the men and women there. He saw Bingo Bob at one end and he nearly  
spilled his entire cup of coffee on himself. Standing next to Bingo Bob, handing him a  
sheaf of papers stood Donnatella Moss.

He must have cried out when he spilled the hot coffee because nearly every head in the  
room turned in his direction, including Donna's. The shock on her face must have  
matched his which he thought was unfair because he had at least told her where he was  
going. Donna Moss was going to get a piece of his mind.

Chapter 3

Josh's POV:

I felt everyone staring at me and attempted a reassuring smile to let them know that I'm  
just clumsy, not deranged. I used several napkins to sop up the worst of the damage while  
I kept an eye on Donna. She pretended to return her attention to Bingo Bob, but I know  
better. She was as aware of where I was every moment as I was of her. I walked slowly but  
purposefully toward the dais, stopping to shake a hand or fake interest in some other  
candidate, but I never stopped moving toward Donna.

I walk up behind her and lean closer so my words aren't overheard by anyone nearby.  
"Donna, could I speak with you for a minute, please?" She doesn't turn her head but her  
body stiffened as soon as my first word reached her ear. She mumbled something to  
Russell and walked quickly to an unoccupied corner of the meeting room.

"What it is, Josh? I'm trying to bring the Vice President up to speed on some important  
issues before the event starts."

"The event starts in ten minutes, Donna. You don't have enough time to bring Bingo Bob  
up to speed on how to walk over to his podium on the dais, let alone any important issues."

"Joshua-"

"Bingo Bob, Donna?" I asked incredulously. "Did you start smoking crack as soon as I  
left? C.J. said she was going to offer you an assistant position in her office."

"I didn't want a job as an assistant in C.J.'s office." Donna replied. "Any job in the White  
House is done in a year."

"And you think hitching your wagon to Russell's star is going to give you some kind of job  
security?"

"Are you going to stand there and try to claim the high road when you're here for Hoynes?  
Hoynes, Josh?"

"I haven't made any commitments to anyone, yet." I tossed back. She frowned at me.

"But you're here." She countered. "You didn't take a trip to Iowa for the corn." She took a  
deep breath and blew it out. "Look, I know how much it hurt you to be passed over for C.O.  
S., and I'm sure Hoynes pursued you with a full court press; that had to soothe a lot of the  
wounds to your ego."

"My ego is just fine, thank you very much." I said hotly.

"But Hoynes comes with a lot of baggage, and I'm not sure he can overcome all of that;  
even with a brilliant political strategist like you in his corner." See, she says stuff like  
'brilliant political strategist' in the hopes that I will be distracted enough with the  
compliment that I'll forget whatever other thing I'm arguing with her about. It doesn't work  
this time, although I file the comment away for further contemplation later.

"Baggage or not, he's going to wipe the floor with Russell. Just watch." I warned her.

"Will and I are going to make sure that doesn't happen." She assured me. Will?

"I'm sorry, you and Will are going to do that?" I almost laugh, but stop myself in time.

"You don't think we can?" She gets in my face on that line and despite the fact that our  
argument is getting heated and we're drawing a bit of a crowd, I can't help stopping to  
admire the fire she's got in her eyes.

"Donna, I have the utmost faith in you, but Will is a pinhead. He proved that when he  
bailed on us and went over to the dark side with Russell."

"Then you don't think I can do it?" she reframed the question and I'm stuck.

"I doubt anyone could do it. He's THAT bad." I paused for effect. "But I hear there's a  
wizard in the Emerald City that might be able to get him a brain." A couple reporters  
covering the event laughed at that line and I get the sinking feeling I might have taken it a  
bit too far. Donna is now seething; I think actual smoke is coming out of her ears.

"Really? Maybe you should come too, you could get Hoynes a heart." She retorted. Damn  
the woman is good. Is it any wonder she fascinates me. "I think you should put up or shut  
up, Joshua. Who's your candidate going to be? Me, I'm working for the front runner and  
Vice President of the United States."

"Me? I'd rather work for a Republican than Bingo Bob." I told her, then lowered my voice.  
"You're too good for that campaign, Donna. You're too good for him." I noticed her face  
softened a bit when I said that.

"I have work to do." She told me and marched right back over to Russell. Shit.

Will Bailey walked over to me; further proof that the man is a pinhead. Couldn't he tell I  
was glaring at him from over here?

"Josh. I heard you were coming to town. Have you already signed on with Hoynes?" I don't  
answer but instead continue to watch Donna. "Donna came to me, you know. I didn't  
realize her working for us would be a problem or I wouldn't have hired her." This is what I  
mean about Will Bailey. He won't even take responsibility for hiring Donna if he thinks it  
may piss me off enough that I'll back Hoynes and send Russell back to the stone age.  
Weasel. I turn from my view of Donna just long enough to glare at Will close up and  
personal.

"You should go help your candidate. He needs a lot of it." Will turned red, but left me  
alone without further comment. Asshole.

David Thompson approached me next. "Mr. Lyman? I was wondering if I could ask your  
opinion about a couple things for the stump speech?" I pushed my dark thoughts to the  
back burner and faced this young man who thought I had some kind of magic answers for  
him.

"Call me Josh, David. The stump is good. You really don't need my seal of approval."

"Maybe, but I'd like it." He told me. "You're a legend in these circles. I think I could learn a  
lot from you." Did I tell you this kid was bright?

"Let's sit in the back and talk. I think I've attracted enough attention up here for the  
moment." We sat in the very back row and David picked my brain for awhile as the  
candidates gave 30 second sound bite answers to questions about Ethanol. They only  
had half of my attention since frankly, I found the kid far more interesting than the lot of  
them, so I missed the first part of Santos' answer. My ears did perk up at one point though.

"…Ethanol is not the solution to our energy problems. I could not and would not support  
Ethanol subsidies as President of the United States." There was a murmur of discontented  
voters and I wanted to warn Santos to duck before he got pelted by corn kernels, but he  
continued. "We need a viable energy alternative and that's not Ethanol. I know that's  
probably not the answer you want to hear, it would certainly impact some of the money  
coming into your wallet, but I think we need to look at the big picture and ensure a strong  
energy future for our children."

I blinked. Then I shook my head to clear it. I just had the most bizarre case of Déjà vu. My  
head whipped around to see Donna's reaction to Santos' statement. Did it remind her of  
Nashua, too? Then I remembered she hadn't been there that night in the VFW hall. Still,  
she looked thoughtfully at Santos now. Did he remind her of someone too? Our eyes met  
briefly, but she quickly averted her gaze again. She leaned closer to Will and whispered  
something to him. She was probably commenting about how Santos just lost any prayer  
he had of making a decent showing here. The man was toast.

"Josh?" David brought my attention back to him. "Why the hell would he say that here?  
Didn't he just commit suicide?"

"Yep. There's only one reason a candidate would say something like that in a place like  
this." I explained.

"What's that?"

"Because he honestly believes it's the truth." Suddenly, I've got a really good handle on  
what Santos is doing in Iowa.

************************************  
"So what did you think?" Hoynes asks me.

"Nobody on that dais had your experience, poise, or political acumen." I answered  
honestly.

"Then help me bring this to the next level." He commanded. "I need you Josh."

"I have…concerns." I stated carefully. We're in Hoynes' hotel room so I'm not worried  
about being overheard, but I do want to couch my concerns carefully. Hoynes may be the  
only man in Washington who hates being second-guessed more than I do.

"And those are?"

"Let's start with the chain of command. I call the shots. I'm willing to discuss strategy with  
you and the rest of the team, but I have the final say." I offered.

"That's why I want you to be the campaign manager." He answered.

"The alcoholism?" I prompted.

"I haven't had a drink in years."

"So there's not going to be anyone coming out of the woodwork claiming you got drunk  
with them or even had a drink with them?"

"Absolutely not."

"Good. What about the women?"

"God, Josh, why don't you just lay it on the line?"

"I am. You want me to come work for you. That means my reputation would be tied to  
yours. I won't be a part of another sex scandal or have all my hard work on the campaign  
tanked because you can't keep your zipper zipped."

"That's all in the past." He assures me.

"Even if that's true, women from the past may make an appearance. Are you and Suzanne  
prepared to handle that?"

"We've already started. If you'd seen my interview with Diane Mather-"

"I did." I told him. "It was a start, but she was lobbing softballs at you. The questions are  
going to get a hell of a lot tougher and a lot more personal."

"I know."

"And you can sit there and promise me that there won't be any new…incidents?"

"Yes, I can."

"Okay…then. I guess I'm in." I shook his hand and we started to make plans.

Chapter 4

Josh's POV:

I'm grabbing a sandwich with David while we go over some talking points when Matt  
Santos approaches me.

"So you've made a decision about who to support?" he says pointedly.

"Nothing personal, Congressman. John Hoynes and I go back a long ways and after the  
way you imploded yesterday, I think you'd have better luck getting votes as the Prom King  
in Des Moines than you would getting votes for the Democratic nomination."

"Josh is always protecting my fragile self-esteem." Santos told David. "I'm Matt Santos, I'm  
running for President."

"David Thompson, speech writer for Vice President Hoynes."

"David if you want to pick someone's brain. You should try Congressman Santos, here." I  
advise him. "He got a hell of a reputation on the hill. Rumor was that he wrote his own  
speeches too."

"That's only because I didn't trust anyone else to put words in my mouth." Matt says  
agreeably and sits down across from Josh and next to David. "Was it hard to leave the  
White House to come back out on the campaign trail?" he asks me.

"It was easier than you might think." I grin. "Was it hard to decide not to run for re-election  
in Texas?"

"It was easier than you might think." Santos grins back and I nod knowingly. David shoots  
his gaze from me to Santos to me again like he's watching a ping pong game.

"David, you should bring those changes back to the Vice President. I'll be right there."  
David immediately excuses himself and I'm left alone with Santos.

"It was a gutsy move." I tell him. "The papers are full of it this morning."

"Hoynes was against it too." Santos points out.

"He's always been against it, and his oil buddies pay him well to be against it. He can  
survive tanking in Iowa; he needs to play to the general election audience. Who are you  
playing to?"

"Nobody…myself." Santos replies.

"There's great freedom when you don't have to worry about getting elected." I note and  
he nods. "So, having decided to retire from Congress, you figured one last hurrah on a  
national campaign would be…what? Fun?"

"You know what? It is. I've gotten more press and more attention for the issues I believe in  
as a no chance Presidential contender than I ever had in my 3 terms in Congress." I  
shake my head and laugh.

"Yeah, you certainly have." I agree. "As long as you're spitting into the wind, you should  
hit universal health care."

"That's point number 3 in my 8 point plan."

"8 point plan?"

"I may not be a serious contender, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't have a plan."  
"Matt? The Des Moines Register would like a word."

"Sure. Josh, this is Ned, my campaign manager." I shake his hand reluctantly. "I'll be right  
there." Santos tells him.

"You know what your 9th point should be?" I ask him and he shakes his head 'no'.  
"Finding a real campaign manager; someone who refers to you as Congressman, would  
be a good start."

"I told him to call me Matt. He was doing what I told him to do."

"Exactly why you should find a real manager. You don't have any experience in a National  
campaign. You should be taking directions from a manager, not the other way around" I  
reiterate. "Matt is a guy you sit down and have a beer with. A Congressman is someone  
who has political clout and the gravitas to handle being President."

Santos stands up to leave. "You better be careful, Josh. All this free advice you're giving  
me might end up biting you in the ass."

"Tell you what, when you break 5% and the close the gap between you and Hoynes to a  
mere 20 points I'll stop offering the free advice." I assure him. He smiles again and goes  
out to meet the Register reporter. God, I wish I could get him to reconsider running for re-  
election in his Congressional district.

Donna's POV:

I re-read the quote for the second time. It's attributed to John Hoynes but it's got Josh  
Lyman written all over it. It's only been a week since Josh signed on with Hoynes and  
already he's climbed 8 points. Son of a bitch, the man is good. Not that he'll be hearing  
that from me.

I walk into the Vice President's office where he and Will are strategizing a response to the  
Hoynes smack down about Russell's ties to the coal industry.

"Listen, I've been thinking about this response." I tell them and both their heads pop up.  
They've both been pretty open to hearing my suggestions and ideas but I haven't really  
pushed any of them either. I'm about to find out just how far my sphere of influence  
extends.

"We've just about finished drafting the response." Will tells me. "It distances him from the  
coal industry without actually crossing any honesty lines. Then we launch our idea for  
more regulations and higher standards for pollution stemming from coal."

"I'm sure it's good." I confirm. I haven't worked with Josh Lyman for years without learning  
to stroke a guy's ego while getting him to change his mind at the same time; it's an  
acquired skill. "But I don't think we should distance him from his record on coal."

"We kind of have to, Donna. Hoynes is claiming we're owned by the coal industry. He  
needs to show his independence from that." Will explains like I'm a child. Josh may be  
right about him.

"We have to respond, I agree, but not by distancing himself from coal; he should embrace  
it." I suggest. They both look at me like I'm nuts. Work with me here guys. "It's his record  
and he shouldn't back away from it like a flip flipper just because Hoynes implied there  
was something wrong with it."

"Then how do we respond?" The Vice President asks.

"Of course the Vice President supported the coal industry while he was a Congressman,  
he fought extremely hard for the them then. They were his constituents. Coal is extremely  
important in his home state. But once he became Vice President, he had to represent all  
the people of the United States and that's what he's done. He worked very hard in the  
best interest of the people of Colorado when he was Congressman and he'll work equally  
hard for what is in the best interest of the country when he's President." Okay, that might  
have come out a little too fast because it takes them both a minute to catch up.

"Sir?" Will defers to the Vice President's opinion.

"I like it. I like it a lot." He confirms. "Put it out there."

I nod and quickly leave the room before I pump my hand in the air as a signal of victory.  
Donnatella Moss's sphere of influence has just gotten bigger; much bigger.

Chapter 5

"…he'll work equally hard for what is in the best interest of the country when he's  
President?" Josh read out loud. "Hoist on my own petard by my former assistant."

"She's good. You must have taught her well. Maybe you should convince her to come join  
us." Hoynes suggested.

"I don't think she would." Josh told him. "I may have made a strategic error there and  
implied it was a sort of competition between us."

"Josh, it's almost hard to believe you're still single." Hoynes teased him.

"This is a work thing, not a male/female thing." Josh maintained.

"Uh-huh." Hoynes leaned closer to Josh at the conference table. "You know there were a  
lot of rumors about you two while you were at the White House, right?"

"Unfounded rumors." Josh said in an even voice.

"Uh-huh." John replied nonchalantly. "So what's up next?"

"You've got one more interview then we've decided to pack it up and go to New  
Hampshire." Josh told him.

"We're just conceding Iowa?" he questioned.

"The caucus is tomorrow and we're within 4 points, that's a better than expected." Josh  
pointed out. "We'll concentrate on New Hampshire and make the win there along with  
gaining momentum the story."

"That's why I pay you the big bucks Josh." Hoynes jested. "Anything in particular I should  
hit on in the interview?"

"Foreign policy is Bingo Bob's biggest weakness. It couldn't hurt to hammer on that a bit.  
And bring up your no pac contribution pledge. See if the paper can put some pressure on  
Russell to swear off mining industry money."

"Got it." Hoynes put on his jacket and strode from the room. Josh had been keeping close  
tabs on Hoynes and so far Josh hadn't seen anything that set off his inner alarm bell, but  
he wasn't done watching. Hoynes was going to have to earn Josh's trust.

They hit the ground running in New Hampshire and immediately it was neck and neck  
between Hoynes and Russell. The papers had dubbed it 'Dueling Vice Presidents'.

Donna started giving statements to the press. She was articulate, attractive, and  
personable. The press loved her. Even though Josh was sick about who she was shilling  
for, he had to admire the job she was doing. Several times a day he was asked to  
comment on some statement or other Donna had made. It became a public forum for  
private communication. They only spoke through the press.

When Donna was asked to compare the characters of the two lead candidates she  
responded.

"Someone should ask why voters should entrust John Hoynes with our highest elected  
office, when we've already seen him make grave mistakes in his personal life."

"Mr. Lyman, would you care to respond to Ms. Moss's allegation that your candidate has  
made grave mistakes in his personal life?"

"I am in no position to make judgments about the choices other people have made in their  
personal life. Does Ms. Moss really want to contend that she's never made a mistake  
about someone in her personal life?"

"Ms. Moss, Josh Lyman wants to know if you can maintain that you've never made a  
mistake about someone in your life."

"Well, I did work for Josh Lyman for several years, but I'll let those of you who know him  
decide whether or not that was a mistake." Donna paused. "You know, now that I think  
about it, I remember I told a lie once too. I lied for Josh about his availability when he  
wanted to get out of a meeting with Vice President Hoynes. Please apologize to him for my  
error." The reporters laughed.

"Hey, Josh. Donna Moss sends her apology. She does remember telling a lie. It was when  
you wanted to get out of a meeting with Vice President Hoynes." Josh's lip twitched.

"Well that could have been just about anytime." Josh joked back. "In fact just this  
morning…" he trailed off.

"Seriously, Josh, don't you think character should be part of the criteria for running for  
President?"

"Absolutely. So should overcoming adversity. John Hoynes paid for his mistakes, and has  
become a stronger person for having gone through all that he has."

"So who is the better judge of character, you or Donna Moss?" The reporter pressed Josh.

"Clearly I am." Josh grinned. "After all, she thought I would be a good person to work for."

"Donna, what is it like to go head to head against someone you worked for and admired?"

"Leo McGarry is working on the Hoynes campaign now?" Donna deadpanned.

"I meant Josh Lyman." The reporter clarified.

"Ahhh. I haven't given it much thought." Donna lied through her teeth. "Anything else?"

"What do you think about the decision to limit the Democratic debate to just Hoynes and  
Russell?"

Donna paused before she answered. This issue had brought some serious contention  
between her and Will. "I think the entire field of Democratic candidates is strong and each  
of them has a substantive contribution to make."

"Then you're in favor of opening the debate to the entire field?"

"That's not my decision to make." Donna hedged, then groaned when the Hoynes camp  
entered the hotel lobby she was currently occupying and she and Josh came face to face  
about 10 feet apart. The reporters jumped on the timely arrival.

"Josh, does the Hoynes campaign feel it's fair to limit the candidates allowed to take part  
in the debate this week?"

"Of course not." Josh said decidedly. "How can the voters of New Hampshire make a well  
informed decision if they don't have a chance to see and hear all the candidates? John  
Hoynes doesn't have anything to fear from standing on a stage with the full field."

The reporters turned en mass back to Donna. "Is Vice President Russell afraid to debate  
the entire field of candidates? Is that why your campaign hasn't spoken out against the  
decision to only allow Russell and Hoynes?"

Josh smirked and put his hands in his pockets. He rocked back and forth on his heels  
waiting for Donna's response.

"Bob Russell has been elected repeatedly to Congress and has taken part in numerous  
debates. He isn't afraid of any of the other Presidential contenders."

"Then you'll join me in my request to the paper sponsoring the debate demanding that all  
the candidates be allowed to participate?" Josh asked Donna directly.

"I'm not the campaign manager. I don't get to make those kinds of calls, as you well know."  
Donna responded directly to Josh moving physically closer to him.

"Then Russell's campaign manager is the one who's afraid to have his candidate face the  
full field." Josh surmised. "Does Will Bailey really need to keep such a close reign on  
Bingo Bob? What is he afraid will happen if he gets off the leash?"

"You might at least pretend to have a little respect for the office of the Vice President."  
Donna snapped moving still closer to Josh.

"Oh, I have plenty of respect for the office of the Vice President. That's why I don't think  
Bob Russell should be in it." Josh countered while reporters wrote furiously on their note  
pads and shoved their mics closer to catch every word between Josh and Donna.

"Are you saying John Hoynes, who had to resign in disgrace, was a better Vice President  
than Bob Russell has been?" Donna accused.

"Any day of the week and twice on Sunday." Josh maintained. Donna and Josh had been  
so focused on each other that they didn't notice when another party joined them.

"Can anyone join this debate or is this one limited to the top two candidates too?" Matt  
Santos asked. Josh and Donna were startled by his appearance.

"No, sir, Congressman. The Hoynes campaign welcomes everyone's voice." Josh smirked  
at Donna again.

"Ah here's the man, himself." Matt noted as John Hoynes joined the group. "Josh was just  
telling us that you're in favor of the full field being included in the debate on Thursday."

"Certainly. Every candidate should be heard." John repeated the line Josh had given him  
verbatim.

"But if we truly want each candidate to be heard, we should abandon these ridiculous  
debate rules and let each candidate take the time they need to answer each question fully  
and allow us to ask questions of each other."

Hoynes gave a quick glance to Josh who shrugged. "I have no problem with that. Set it up  
with Josh." John advised Matt. Matt immediately cornered Josh and started laying out his  
plan for the debate format. Josh knew that he wasn't Matt's real audience. Matt was  
playing to the press to not only get included in the debate but have the chance to make a  
difference in the debate itself. In the interest of expediency he agreed to all of Matt's  
points. It really didn't matter what Josh agreed to, Russell would never go for it.

When Josh was finally able to extricate himself from Matt and the press, he looked for  
John Hoynes. His heart beat sped up just a titch when he spotted him in a secluded  
corner with Donna. Ignoring 4 different people calling his name he made a beeline for  
Donna.

"…and we've all been impressed with the work you've been doing for Russell. Is there any  
way I could persuade you to come on board with the Hoynes campaign?" John grinned  
winningly at Donna and Josh felt sick.

"Mr. Vice President, we need you in the suite right away, sir." Josh lied and led Hoynes  
away from Donna. Donna was surprised when halfway to the elevator Josh looked back  
over his shoulder and sent her what could only be a look of warning. What the hell was  
that?

Once they got in the elevator, Hoynes gave Josh a knowing look. "I thought there wasn't  
anything between you and Ms. Moss?"

"There isn't." Josh insisted. "That doesn't mean it's a good idea to be chatting her up  
alone with you. You have a reputation, sir. Being spotted in a secluded corner with a  
young, attractive campaign staffer…not a good idea."

"Always looking out for me aren't you Josh? I just thought a personal word might persuade  
her to join our team." Hoynes remarked before striding out of the elevator and going back  
to his suite. Josh pursed his lips in thought. Maybe what he said was true; it was possible  
it was all an innocent exchange. But something in Josh's gut told him otherwise.

Josh knew he should probably follow Hoynes to the suite and smooth things over, but he  
was too tired to deal with it so he returned to the lobby and walked out onto the cold New  
Hampshire evening. He had no particular destination in mind so he just wandered down  
the block until he heard his name called by Matt Santos.

"Josh, wait up!" Matt caught up to Josh quickly. "Hey. I'm sorry if I blindsided you in there."  
Josh waved off the apology. "You could have shut me up at any point or told me 'no' but  
you didn't. Thanks for the support."

"Look, it doesn't matter what I agree to, Russell will learn to lay those wooden eggs they're  
so fond of around here before he'll willingly agree to an open format with the full field of  
candidates." Josh told him. "You've got to find a way to pressure him into it."

Matt laughed. "That's what I'm hearing."

"From who?" Josh asked curiously. If someone else was helping Matt he wanted to know  
who it was.

"A pretty blond bird from Russell's camp." Matt admitted.

Josh blinked. Donna? Donna was trying to help Santos? God, will was going to have a  
cow. Now Josh laughed.

"I'll be damned." Josh muttered. "So did you and the bird come up with a plan?"

"Not yet, but we're both working on it."

"Have you got anything left in your budget for an ad?" Josh asked and Matt laughed. "Is  
that a 'no'?"

"I'm afraid so." Matt agreed.

"Then what you need is some free media."

"Which is what I got tonight with you and Hoynes." Matt noted.

"What you got tonight is maybe an op-ed or two. What I'm talking about is something that  
will get played over and over on all the major networks and cable news."

"Sounds good, but how do I manage that?" Matt asked sincerely.

"Got any volunteers?" Josh asked grinning. "Preferably ones that aren't claustrophobic?"  
Matt looked puzzled by the requirement, but nodded nonetheless.

"Excellent." Josh replied. "Let's get going then."


	2. Time to Lead Part 2

Chapter 6

Josh's POV:

"Josh Lyman." I answered my cell without glancing at the caller ID. Mentally, I had already  
left New Hampshire and was focused on the numbers in front of me that represented the  
voters in South Carolina. Yes, the debate was tonight, but John Hoynes could debate in  
his sleep. It was what he excelled at. The little stunt Matt Santos and I devised went off  
without a hitch yesterday, and I'll be damned if the full field isn't debating tonight with Matt  
Santos' format.

"Tell me the guy in the chicken suit wasn't your idea." Donna demanded.

"The guy in the chicken suit wasn't my idea." I repeated as requested, grinning at her tone.

"I have been heckled by my co-workers all day." Donna informed me.

"Bastards." I agreed. "You could really show them and quit."

"Or you could act like a grown up while you're running a Presidential campaign." Donna  
suggested.

"The odds of that aren't very good." I admitted. "However, I do think it was a little below  
your pay grade to do battle with a man dressed as a chicken."

"You sent him to my event on purpose, didn't you?" Donna accused.

"Your event? I believe the SANTOS campaign sent him to a Russell event."

"Matt Santos is far too mature and professional to even think of a stunt like that."

"Then he ought to be grateful to whoever did. I hear he's got cash to go to South Carolina  
now and when I turn on the TV tonight I'll get to watch Bingo Bob sweat bullets thanks to  
Matt Santos and his open format."

"I really don't even know how to respond to that."

"That's okay. You must be worn out trying to come up with excuses for all the fuck-ups we'  
re going to see on TV tonight."

"Joshua…" Her voice sounds tired now. "Can you please stop for just one minute?"

"Uh…sure." I'm stymied. The only words we've exchanged for ages have been political  
barbs about each other's candidates. What do I say now?

"Have you talked to Toby at all?" she asks quietly.

"No. He's still pretty pissed at me for leaving."

"You should try again, Josh. You've been too close for too long to let a campaign come  
between you."

"Isn't that what you and I have done?" I counter.

"I guess." Donna admits. "This just…it isn't as fun as I remembered it, you know?"

"Did you consider the fact that maybe it was your choice of candidate-"

"Josh!" Donna shouts. "Never mind. I was obviously nuts to call you in the first place. I'm  
tired, I'm hungry, and I-"

"You're hungry?" I latch onto the part of her speech that might work for me. "Haven't you  
eaten yet?"

"I would normally respond that we were working on debate prep all day, but in this case I'll  
refrain due to fear of how you'll respond to that."

"Come up and have dinner with me." I offer before I can think better of it.

"Up to your room?" she asks disbelievingly.

"There's no way we'd be able to eat uninterrupted downstairs and do you really want to  
explain what you're doing eating with the enemy?" I reason. "You can get some food and I  
promise not to mention anything to do with politics."

"I don't believe that's physiologically possible for you." She quips.

"Okay, I promise not to mention anything that has to do with either of our campaigns." I  
amend. "What do you want me to order?" I ask like she's already agreed to eat with me.

"A cheeseburger would be good." She says slowly.

"Great. I'm in 418. Come up whenever you can." I hang up quickly before she can change  
her mind.

The first few minutes are a little awkward between us and that kind of hurts. It's never  
been awkward between us; even in the initial days of the first campaign. Eventually, we  
find some relatively neutral topics to stay on and the bantering makes an appearance  
again.

Before we know it, though, it's time to get ready and get over to the debate site. Donna  
paused at my door before she left.

"Good luck, Josh."

"You too, Donna." Notice that we wished each other luck, but not our respective  
candidates.

I caught glimpses of her at the debate and on TV doing spin, but we didn't have another  
chance to talk privately. That set the tone for the rest of the week before the primary vote.  
When Hoynes took New Hampshire I didn't feel the sense of satisfaction I desperately  
wanted to. The next day we were off to South Carolina.

Josh hung up the phone after leaving yet another message for Toby. There was no  
denying the man was ignoring him, but the next time Donna asked if he had tried to talk to  
Toby, he wanted to be able to honestly answer 'yes'. And he honestly hoped she would  
have a chance to ask him this afternoon at the candidate forum both Russell and Hoynes  
were slated to attend.

"Hey, Josh, any chance I could get five minutes with your guy before the forum? My editor  
wants to do a sidebar on his book." Jake Robbins, a reporter for the New York Times  
requested.

"Sure." Josh answered quickly. "I'll bring him down to meet with you in 15 minutes?"

"Thanks. I appreciate you squeezing me in."

Josh hurried upstairs to their 'war room' and found plenty of staffers, but no candidate. It  
took him 10 of his allotted 15 minutes to get one of the volunteers to admit he'd seen  
Hoynes head to the roof to get some air. Josh hit the roof door at almost a run now, so he  
had to skid to a halt to avoid tumbling into John Hoynes and Melinda Braden, one of their  
interns. Because his brain had been on another track altogether, it took him a few critical  
seconds to take in the scene; Hoynes had his hands place inappropriately on Melinda and  
her hands were at the base of his neck before they quickly jolted away from one another.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Josh said intently. "Tell me this is some kind of a  
joke!"

Melinda looked horrified, her face turned beat red. Josh had to turn away from them both  
before he said something he couldn't afford to say at the moment.

"Josh, it isn't what you think." John began.

"I may not have much of a personal life, but I can recognize one when I see it." Josh  
countered.

"It was just a momentary thing. Suzanne and I had a fight. I came up here to cool down  
and Melinda came up to-"

"Save it for your wife, or better yet the press." Josh told him disgusted by the whole  
situation. "I'm done with you." Josh slammed the door and exited the roof area. Pure  
adrenaline took him down the 8 flights of stairs instead of taking the elevator. How could  
he have been so stupid? Why had he believed Hoynes? Had Donna called it from the  
start? Was it simply that Hoynes stroked his ego when he was vulnerable to that kind of  
approach? Shit!

Josh stormed through the lobby and ran smack into Jake Robbins, the reporter who'd  
requested the one on one with Hoynes 20 minutes ago. God, had it only been 20 minutes  
ago? It seemed like a lifetime ago since his world had tilted on it's axis.

"No, Hoynes?" Jake asked, confused. Josh laughed humorlessly.

"No, Hoynes." Josh confirmed. "He's not good at making himself available to anyone  
unless they're wearing a skirt." Josh took a breath before he continued, his voice rising in  
pitch and decibel level with each word he spoke. "He may be a bit yet, Jacob, but when he  
show his face down here, you should ask him what he was too busy with to come down  
right now. You should ask him! Then you should do a canvass of his staff, former and  
current staff and you should ask them what they saw, what they heard-"

"Josh!" Donna, who had been drawn over by the shouting, looked on in shock as Josh  
went on his rant. Was he having some kind of episode?

"What?!" he shouted at her and got in her face. "Are you going to start now? Do I get to  
hear I told you so from Donnatella Moss?"

"Josh, stop it right now." Donna said quietly while she placed herself between Josh and  
Jacob. "Come with me a minute." She instructed. "Jacob, you'll excuse us please?" she  
threw over her shoulder as she drew Josh with her into an empty meeting room.

Once inside Josh turned away from her and slammed his fist against the wall, further  
alarming Donna with it's repetition of his erratic behavior from a Christmas several years  
ago.

"Josh, please tell me what's going on. Are you okay?" Hearing the concern in her voice  
caused Josh to turn back to her and meet her eyes.

"I'm fine." He told her and began to pace the length of the room.

"I have some evidence to the contrary." She noted.

"Thanks for…you know…pulling me away from Robbins out there."

"Knowing Robbins it was only a temporary reprieve." Donna pointed out. "What  
happened, Joshua?"

"I went to find Hoynes, so Robins could do this sidebar piece and-" Josh stopped abruptly.

"And what?"

Josh shook his head and refused to continue.

"You don't trust me?" Donna asked, hurt and surprise coloring her words.

"It's not that I don't trust you." Josh assured her. "I swear."

"This is because I'm working for Russell."

"You're going to get questions. The less you hear from me the better." Josh reasoned.

"I think I've proven that I can handle questions, Josh. This is me, your friend. Tell me what  
happened."

"I found Hoynes in a 'compromising position' with one of our interns." Josh said simply.

"Oh, God, Josh. I'm sorry." She responded sincerely. "Is the intern…"

"She was a willing participant, at least from what I can tell. But that's not going to provide  
much consolation to Suzanne, or everyone who's worked their asses off on this  
campaign." Josh stopped pacing and slid down the nearest wall until he was sitting on the  
floor was his back against the wall and his legs straight out in front of him.  
"Congratulations Donna. You're now working for the Democratic nominee for President."

Donna walked over and sat next to him, sighing loudly. "Strangely, I'm not as excited by  
that fact as I thought I'd be. This isn't the way I wanted to win." She looked closely at the  
sadness in Josh's face. "I think you've made too many public statements about 'Bingo  
Bob' for you to travel with the campaign, but I could see about some long distance  
consulting." Josh actually laughed at that thought.

"No, thanks. I'm done with this game. I'm just going to take my ball and go home. There  
have got to be plenty of Congressional and Senate races that could use my help." He  
mused. "Maybe I could even talk Matt Santos into running for Congress again once he  
runs out of money."

"You should try." Donna agreed. "He's a good man. We need all of those we can get in  
Government."

"I'll say." Josh added. "I was so surprised when he told me you were trying to help him."

"No more surprised than I was that cutthroat Josh Lyman was giving free advice to a man  
without a shot in the world of getting the nomination." Donna responded.

"Candidates without a shot in the world appeal to me." Josh admitted and grinned.  
"Especially when they care more about the message than the messenger."

"That's not a surprise. That's what brought us both to Nashua after all." Donna reached  
over and took his hand.

"Yeah. There was this moment in Iowa, when Santos gave his answer on ethanol? I couldn'  
t believe my ears." Josh laughed. "You need to get going, and I need to go pack before  
the vultures descend."

"Right." Donna nodded and stood up sighing again. Then something hit her. "That day in  
the lobby, when Hoynes was trying to recruit me? I thought you hustled him off because  
you didn't want me on your campaign, but that wasn't it at all was it? You thought he was  
trying to- God Josh, did you seriously think that I would ever-?"

"No! Not you, but I thought Hoynes wasn't above trying. I didn't ever want you to be put in  
that position."

"Thanks." She bent down and kissed his cheek. "Don't let Hoynes ruin everything for you  
Josh. You know all too well what it means to help get a good person elected. There are  
more good people out there. We just have to find them." Donna reminded him and left him  
alone sitting in the empty room with nothing but his thoughts and self-recriminations.

Chapter 7

Josh's POV:

This is crazy; certifiably insane. Set aside the fact that it's almost midnight. Set aside the  
fact that I just left the hotel that I am now speeding back to, less than an hour ago. Set  
aside the fact that I am currently unemployed and a little tipsy from the drinks I had at the  
airport bar while waiting for the flight I just blew off. I say to set all these things aside  
because when you compare them to what I am about to do…they look perfectly  
reasonable.

I make a quick stop at the front desk; I need to ask them to watch my bags and I need to  
bribe one of the teenagers behind the desk to give me a room number. I push the up  
button for the elevator 4 times because I don't care what Donna says, I believe pressing it  
more often makes it come faster.

I hesitate once more standing outside the hotel room door. Then before I can change my  
mind, I knock loudly. I knock again before the door opens.

"Josh?"

"Please resist the urge to shut the door in my face before I have a chance to convince  
you to let me in."

"Okay." Santos leans against the doorjamb and I notice he's still dressed. His shirt is  
unbuttoned and his sleeves are rolled up, but he's still wearing the clothes I saw him in  
earlier.

"I think you should stop playing at running for President and run for real. With Hoynes  
dropping out, there are going to be a lot of undecideds come morning and if we can get  
even half their support, in terms of staff and financing, you could blow this whole thing out  
of the water." I finish and watch him turn his head around to call to someone in his room.  
Dear God, he doesn't have a woman in there, does he?

"Hey, Donna, does that sound about right to you?" Santos asks her smirking at me.  
Donna appears behind him with reams of paper in her hands.

"It sounds exactly right to me." she responds. "Although as usual, Joshua is heavy on the  
gut instinct and light on the research and analysis." She waves the papers in her hand in  
front of me. I must look a little shell shocked.

"Come on in, Josh, there seems to be a Presidential campaign committee meeting in my  
room." Matt ushers me in and indicates a spot at the small table in the room.

"Donna?" I try to ask a hundred questions in just that one word.

"Don't feel bad, Josh." Santos interjects. "She just beat you here by about 30 minutes."

"He probably would have made it sooner if he hadn't had any drinks at the airport bar."  
Donna explains. "He has a sensitive system." She grins at me.

"Okay, I get why I am here, I'm suddenly unemployed. But Donna…have you quit your job  
with Russell?"

"Not yet. Whether I do or not kind of depends on what Matt decides." She turned to look at  
the man in question. "Maybe we can convince him to take us on if we double team him."

The words 'double team' coming out of Donnatella's mouth makes my brain short circuit  
for a second. In the time it takes me to get back my focus, Matt is already talking again.

"So both of you seasoned National campaign staffers think if we work together I might  
have a real shot at this thing?" Santos asks us. Donna and I exchange a look

"No way." Donna answers at the same time I respond, "Not a chance in hell."

Now Santos looks genuinely confused and shakes his head. "So what you're saying here  
is that this is some nasty campaign trick where people from other camps keep their  
opposition up really late filling their head with nonsense about getting the nomination  
when they really don't have a chance in hell?"

"Not exactly, sir." Donna explains. "I can't speak for Josh…well I could, but I won't." she  
smiles at me and I have a little trouble breathing. "Josh and I had a conversation earlier.  
Obviously it was born out of what happened with John Hoynes. Josh was explaining his  
plan to retreat from Presidential politics and find a Congressional or Senate candidate to  
work for that he could believe in. He mentioned you and wondered if he could convince  
you to run for re-election in Congress. I suggested he try since we both believe you're a  
good man. I said we need all the good people we could get in Government. Then, while I  
was watching the candidate forum, I kept looking at you and listening to you speak  
thinking 'it's such a shame he can't win, he'd be so good'. When I got back to my room I  
realized with John Hoynes out of the race, the whole landscape would be shaken up and I  
started running some numbers. I got excited about what I was seeing and decided to talk  
to you about it."

I exchange a look with Matt and he smirks. "The first thing you have to understand about  
Donna, sir, is that she talks…a lot." I point out unnecessarily.

"Fine, then you explain it Joshua." She leans back in her seat and crosses her arms.

I pause to think about it. "We both went into this by choosing someone our head told us  
would win. What we forgot, was that wasn't how or why we chose Bartlet and he didn't  
have a chance in hell either." I raise my eyebrows toward Donna, inviting her critique.

"Not bad, Joshua. Not bad at all." She tells me quietly. There's that trouble breathing  
again.

"I appreciate what you're saying; both of you, but I hadn't really planned on anything past  
Iowa…maybe New Hampshire. Now I'm sitting in South Carolina and my wife and kids can't  
figure out why I'm not back in Texas yet. This isn't what I signed up for."

"It wasn't what Jed Bartlet signed up for either." Donna noted. "Ironically, he got in it to  
bring up some important issues and keep Hoynes honest." She drawled. "Sound like  
anyone you know?"

"Yes, I wanted to bring light to some important issues, but I'm not fooling myself into  
thinking I'm another Jed Bartlet."

"Jed Bartlet wasn't 'Jed Bartlet' at this point in the race either." I tell him. "I could tell you  
stories…but the point is that nobody gets into a Presidential race ready to be President.  
That's a process. It happens over a period of months. You say you don't think you're  
ready for this; we're not disagreeing. You can't be ready yet."

"What we're saying is that you should give us a chance to help you get ready." Donna  
interjects. "You don't have to change anything that you're doing or saying. We'll just make  
sure that what you're doing and saying gets out to the people who vote. Let them decide  
who's ready and who the best candidate is."

"But having said all that, you still don't think I can win, right?" Matt confirms.

"No way" Donna repeats. "Not a chance in hell." I assure him. We just sit there grinning  
like fools.

"So can we join the Santos team?" Donna asks him.

"Yeah… But you know we can't pay either of you what you were making with Hoynes and  
Russell. I mean we have some cash on hand now, thanks to your chicken stunt, Josh, but-"

Donna takes this opportunity to smack me in the arm. "I knew it!"

"I should probably warn you about the hitting too, sir." I mutter.

"We should let you get some sleep Congressman." Donna notes. "We can meet in the  
morning and do some strategizing.

"Oh, no you don't. We still have one important detail to decide." Matt protests. "Who's  
going to call and explain this to my wife?"

Chapter 8

Donna's POV:

Josh and I leave Matt Santos after doing rock, paper, scissors to determine who will be  
calling Helen Santos. I'm sure it was rigged.

"Look at it this way." Josh is telling me. "It will give you an opportunity to develop another  
chapter of the Sisterhood."

"It would serve you both right if I did." I warn him. The sisterhood is not to be mocked. "So  
far on my agenda tomorrow, I have to tell the Vice President that I am resigning from his  
campaign in order to help his competition, then I have to call Helen Santos and tell her  
that the dynamics of her husband's campaign have changed and we need her here in  
South Carolina." I take a breath. "And that's all before breakfast."

"I wouldn't call Helen Santos before breakfast. Houston is in a different time zone." Josh  
reminds me. He's still smiling. I don't think I've seen him smile this much since after the  
Shutdown. Would it be unprofessional to mention that seeing his dimples make an  
appearance causes my heart to beat just a little faster than normal?

"How are you planning on doing this, Josh?" I ask ignoring his time zone comment.

"You mean, how are WE planning on doing this?" Josh corrects me. "I've been giving this  
some thought and I think you're really better suited to the press stuff than I am."

"Wait, you've been giving this some thought?" I repeat. "We just left the Congressman,  
like 2 minutes ago."

"I think fast. I'm nimble on my feet. Are you saying I'm better with the press than you are?"  
he asks.

"God no."

"Then my quick thinking was correct. Damn, I'm hungry, are you hungry?"

"I could eat." I admit.

"Okay, we'll order pizza in and start making plans." Josh put his arm around my shoulder  
and leads me down the hall.

"It's after midnight." I remind him.

"You never seemed to mind late nights before. Wait. I don't have a room here anymore. I  
checked out hours ago. I left my bags downstairs at the desk."

"Pick up your bags. Go check in again and meet me in 312 when you're done. I'll order  
the pizza." I instruct him.

"None of that veggie crap, though." He calls as he takes the stairs down to the lobby. I'm  
careful not to promise anything. I know I should be tired; hell I should be exhausted.  
However, I'm wide awake and full of energy. It must be the excitement of diving into a real  
campaign. What else could it be?

I let myself into my room and pick up the phone to order the pizza.

"Hi, I'd like to order a pizza for delivery…large, thin crust…mushrooms, olives, and  
pepperoni…" I figure he can't complain too much as long as there is pepperoni on there  
too.

***********************************  
"Awww, shit." Josh curses and pulls the offending item out of his mouth. "I got another  
piece of mushroom, Donna."

"Don't be such a baby, Josh. It's just a vegetable. It won't actually kill you." I respond  
patiently. "If you hate them so much, pick them off."

"I tried. This one was hiding or something."

"What do you think about ratcheting up the defense and security issues? Look at  
this…78% of the respondents aren't even aware that the Congressman has a military  
background." I hand Josh the data and wait for his response. He squints at the printed  
information.

"Do you think you could print this out any smaller?" He grouses.

"It's standard 12 point font." I object. Then I watch with curiosity while Josh searches his  
pockets and withdraws a pair of reading glasses. He slips them on and examines the data  
again while I examine him in reading glasses. He looks good in them; very good. Maybe  
even a little too good. I shake my head to get my thoughts back on the campaign.

"This is good, Donna. We can certainly use this. How long has it been since the  
Democrats had someone running who has actual military experience?" Josh is saying.  
"When you talk to Mrs. Santos, you should find out if she has any pictures of the  
Congressman in uniform. We could include in the new literature."

"I'll check on it." I promise. "We have him talk up his military experience with the press.  
Then he needs a new section of the stump to build on that. Can we afford another staff  
writer?"

"Let me worry about the money stuff. I have some ideas about that."

"God, Josh, please tell me theses ideas don't involve costumes of any kind."

He ignores my pointed reference to chicken costumes. "I'd like to try to bring a writer on  
board from the Hoynes campaign. Are you okay with that?" Josh asks me.

"More than okay. The Congressman needs a consistent voice going forward." I agree. "I  
don't know what the budget looks like yet, but we need to make some ad buys to stay  
competitive here."

"I've got to believe there isn't much in the way of cash on hand." Josh answers around a  
big bite of pizza. "We need a bit of a bump to generate new interest and more cash  
donations."

"I have an idea, but I'd like you to think about it before you tell me 'no'." I wait for his nod  
and when I get it, I continue. "John Hoynes dropping out after your…outburst earlier today  
is sure to garner some attention. Likewise, when I leave the Russell camp to stump for  
Santos, it's possible that a few heads may turn."

"Yeah…" he agrees hesitantly.

"I think we should use the fact that we've both jumped ship on other campaigns and come  
together to work for Santos as a media hook." I quickly continue when I see he's about to  
object. "Just a hook, Josh, that's all. It's a way to bring up the Congressman's profile and  
generate a ton of free media."

"And you're comfortable with that? Answering personal questions about why you left  
Russell for Santos?"

"Yes, but unlike you I prefer not to badmouth a sitting Vice President. I'd take the high  
road. I could say that Russell has been a good Vice President and he makes a good  
candidate for President…Santos makes a better one."

"You really have become quite the political operative, haven't you?"

"I liked the story you told me about the Congressman's Ethanol answer in Iowa and how it  
reminded you of President Bartlet when he just started out. You should use that. It  
illustrates that the Congressman is his own man and doesn't pander to his audience, while  
at the same time reminding voters that you know how to spot the 'real thing'."

"I'll think about it." Josh responds and I realize that's most likely the best answer I can  
expect for now. He moves over until he's sitting next to me; I am sitting on the floor with my  
back against the bed. He points out something else he picked up from the data I collected,  
but I honestly couldn't tell you what it was. Josh, up close and personal, wearing reading  
glasses is having a decidedly unprofessional effect on me.

"Donna?" he's giving me a funny look now so I must have missed something.

"Sorry. I must be more tired than I thought." I explain. He give me his 'that's doubtful' look,  
but repeats himself just the same. "I was asking what you thought about this spike in the  
18-24 year old demographic. Since you're closer to that age group than I am, I thought  
you might have an idea on how to capitalize on that."

"We could get him on some college campuses. He connects very well with the younger  
voters as far as I've seen. I wonder how Mrs. Santos comes across on the campaign trail.  
Have you ever met her?"

"Just once at some social event. She seemed outgoing and she's very attractive." He  
notes.

"Very attractive?" I question. "I thought brunettes were more your type."

"What are you talking about?"

"Mandy Hampton, Amy Gardner, Joey Lucus…even that NASA chick you went star gazing  
with." I tick them off on my fingers as I review them.

"First of all, let's not refer to any NASA professional as a chick."

"I thought it would play into your love of poultry." I deadpan.

"Nice. I am never going to live the chicken suit down, am I? Second, I do not have a type."

"You most certainly do." I counter. "Bright, ambitious and dark haired."

He tilts his head as if thinking about my description of the women he dates. "It is a mere  
coincidence that the women you named all have dark hair…the other stuff, well, I don't  
know…maybe the rest of it is true. However, that combination hasn't worked so well for  
me, so maybe it's time I change things up." His lips turn up in a half smile and I swear my  
heart stops for a second at the way he's looking at me.

I clear my throat and look back down at the paper. "I think if I can convince Mrs. Santos to  
join the Congressman we should get them some joint television time; VH1, late night talk  
shows…oh and The Daily Show. He'd score big with those audiences."

"Okay, set it up." He says without breaking eye contact. I think the thermostat in my room  
must be busted because it's getting really warm in here. I get up and retrieve a beer from  
the mini-frig. They'll probably charge me $20 for it on my room bill, but I need something  
cool to drink.

I sit back down by Josh who has switched his attention back to the print interviews Santos  
has given since Iowa. He circles answers or subjects he thinks we should be handling  
differently. It's a short hand we developed during Bartlet for President. He finishes with the  
first page and hands it to me. I set the beer down between us and take the page from him  
adding my 2 cents in the margins. We work silently for a couple minutes.

"Why did you circle family values?" I ask him.

"Matt Santos is a devout Catholic. I think we should remind voters of that." He answers.

"You're not worried about bringing religion into the debate at this point?"

"Nah-uh." Josh picks up my beer and takes a drink. "I'm tired of conceding religion to the  
right. This man has been active in his church, solidly married for over a decade, and has  
a legislative record that supports family values. Why not make it part of the debate?"

"Because it sets a pretty high bar to have to clear." I reply and take the beer back from  
him. "We should have someone run opposition research on him before we start down that  
road."

"I thought you believed in him."

"I do, that doesn't mean the man has never made a mistake." I point out and take another  
sip of beer. "I still believe in President Bartlet, but that doesn't mean he didn't keep some  
pretty important information from us. It needs to be done, Josh. Why are you hesitating?"

"I'm not." He protests and takes my beer again.

"Yes, you are. Normally, this would be the first thing you would have done. Did you run  
opposition research on Hoynes?" I ask as I take my beer back, again. He laughs.

"I know all John Hoynes' secrets."

"Then why-"

"I just don't see the point, that's all." Josh says even more defensively.

"I'll take care of it. I'll tap Joey Lucas." I look at him mockingly. "Or would you like to?"

"You're just full of the wise ass tonight. Anything else you'd like to give me shit about?"

"Now that you mention it…When did you start using reading glasses?" I tease and he  
immediately pushes them self-consciously on top of us head.

"They're just for reading small print." He tells me.

I nod sagely. "I understand vision is the first to go. Just part of the joy of growing old."

"I'm not that old!" He fiercely objects.

"Next it's the hearing, then the brain, then other…physical abilities." I wiggle my fingers at  
him and he visibly bristles.

"All my…physical abilities are as good as they've ever been, Better even!"

"I'm sure they are." I say in a placating tone. I know which buttons to push, after all.

"Do you doubt my abilities, Donnatella?"

"Of course not. I'm sure they're…just fine…for a man your age." I nod again for effect.

"A man my- What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he demands. I've really got him  
going now.

"Nothing." I assure him.

"Then why do you have that doubtful expression on your face?"

"Doubtful expression? You must be mistaken." I push his glasses back down in front of his  
eyes. "There. Now you can see me better. See, there's no 'doubtful expression', Joshua."  
Well, NOW there might be an entirely different kind of expression, because he's got those  
glasses on again. Did I mention how good he looks in glasses?

I think I may have pushed him a little too far though, because he's looking menacingly at  
me now.

"You seem pretty intent on goading me tonight, Donna." He notes.

"It's just an easy button to push." I banter but he seems to have lost the bantering mood.  
"It is with most guys."

"I'm not most guys." He says. .

"No, but you are a guy. And in my personal experience, men have an over inflated opinion  
of their abilities."

"That's probably true, in your experience, but then you generally date Republicans. You  
should give a Democrat a try." He moves infinitesimally closer and my breath hitches.

"I might be willing to do that" When did my voice turn all breathy like that? "For the sake of  
a scientific experiment."

"Science and math education is a major part of the party platform." How is it that this man  
can make a Democratic talking point sound sexy?

"It's very important to our country's future." I reply and I can't help my glance from flicking  
down to his lips. They look so close…

"Donna…?" he whispers and closes the last bit of distance between us. The touch of his  
lips is hesitant and gentle, but it feels like a jolt of electricity got shot through my body. I  
don't remember moving my arms to encircle his neck but my hands are now in his hair and  
his are massaging my back. My heart rate picks up speed and I'm having trouble getting  
oxygen.

When he switches from my lips to my cheek, moving towards my ear, I thank God we're  
sitting down because I'm sure my legs couldn't hold me.

"Joshua…" I moan his name in a voice I don't even recognize. He must not either because  
his head pops back from mine and he looks at me like he has no idea who I am.

"I…I…I didn't mean that." He stammers and my eyebrows fly up.

"You didn't mean what?" I ask for clarification.

"The…thing." He motions between us with one of the hands that up until recently was  
doing delicious things to my body with its' touch. "I can't believe I just-"

"It was a kiss, Josh." I help him with his vocabulary…760 my ass. "And a pretty incredible  
kiss at that. I may just swear off Republicans forever."

"You should… An incredible kiss?" he confirms.

"Well I think so, but maybe we should try it again; just to confirm my scientific theory." I  
tease.

"That would be okay? I mean, we're working together now." He says and he couldn't have  
said anything that would have pleased me more. My face must have lit up because he  
says, "What?"

I shrug my shoulders and reply, "I just like the sound of that, 'working together'."

"Me too." He agrees before he kisses me again. I was right the first time. The kissing was  
incredible.

Chapter 9

Matt's POV:

I don't know what Donna said to my wife, but Helen got on the next plane to South  
Carolina and is now sitting next to me at our planning meeting. Josh is talking but Helen  
and Donna are having their own conversation.

"Could you two pass notes or instant message each other; use some quieter form of  
communication? We're trying to strategize here." Josh complains.

"So are we, Joshua. Helen and I have some ideas for bumping up some media on the  
swing through the South. Are you aware that Helen speaks fluent Spanish?" Donna asks  
him.

"It was purely a matter of self-defense, I assure you." Helen quips and it occurs to me that  
pairing up my wife and the chicken fighter might not have been a smart move. Looking at  
the expression on Josh's face I've got to believe he's having similar thoughts.

"And you're thinking she could do what with her fluent Spanish?" Josh replies more  
patiently than I'd expect him to.

"Talk to voters in key states like Florida and California for starters. If we're going to be  
facing Vinnick in the general, California is going to be the key."

"It's a little soon for you to be assigning Vinnick as the nominee; and way too soon to be  
assuming the Congressman will be the Democratic nominee."

"It's never too soon to plan for the general, but if it will make you feel better, Hoynes had  
California locked up for the primary there and now…"

"Okay, now you've got my attention." Josh admits. "David, can you come up with a speech  
for California that hits on the Congressman's military experience?"

"In Spanish?" David asks incredulously.

"Let's start with English." Josh laughs. "Donna has the Congressman's military history in  
one of her files, get it from her. We have the joint appearance for the Congressman and  
Mrs. Santos at the charter school at 7. Donna has talking points for both of you, make  
sure you look them over and ask any questions you might have BEFORE we get to the  
charter school. Sir, if I could remind you-"

"Not to go off the message." I drone. "I thought you said I could do and say exactly what  
I've been doing and saying up until now."

"You can. Only you have to do it and say it where and when I tell you to." Josh answers.

"So the whole 'Congressman, you're in charge' thing?"

"It was meant as more of an honorary thing." Josh explains.

"Kind of like when we call you head of the household, honey." Helen chimes in smiling.  
She is in much too good of a mood for my piece of mind.

"Thanks." I reply and Donna starts handing me cards. "Hey you never told me how your  
meeting with the Vice President went."

"Let's not focus on unpleasantness." She replies.

"The Vice President was…unpleasant when you gave him your resignation?" This could  
be a good story.

"The Vice President barely said a word. He just looked at me like I shot his dog. Will  
Bailey, on the other hand, was unpleasant; lots of accusations about ungrateful  
secretaries and people who don't know their place. But as I said, I'd rather focus on  
moving forward."

"Fine, then. Do Helen and I have time to get some dinner before we have the charter  
school thing?"

"Sure, just keep your cell with you so we can get in touch if anything changes between  
now and then." She tells me and then turns to Josh. Helen is answering some of David's  
questions and I resign myself to the fact that it may be a little while before I get food of any  
kind. It takes Josh a minute before he gets off his cell and acknowledges Donna.

"What?" he asks her, and she just looks at him."Awww, come on, Donna. I said I'd think  
about it, not that I'd do it."

"You have no qualms sending grown men in chicken suits to disrupt an opponent's event,  
but this thing makes you queasy?"

"I didn't do one after the Newseum and I certainly didn't do one after Gaza. What makes  
you think I'll sell my soul now for a long shot Presidential candidate?"

"Because I know you. This thing is different from the other things." Donna explains.

"It's really not. Whoever it is will use it as an excuse to ask personal questions-"

"Which you don't need to answer. Particularly if it is in regards to your fear of rectangles."  
A look passes between them and I can't help but be fascinated by their conversational  
style; if that's what you call half finished sentences, thoughts exchanged through eye  
movements, and veiled references to a shared history.

Donna isn't the only one who can do research. First thing this morning I did some digging  
on my new campaign crew. The internet provided plenty of historical facts, gossip type  
fiction, and a few well placed phone calls provided the nuance. These two have literally  
been through hell and high water together, and although there have been rumors about  
them being romantically involved almost since President Bartlet took office, I don't buy it.  
There's definitely chemistry between them, flirting and bantering, but there's also tension;  
of the unresolved type between them.

"Who'd you get?" he asks with his head down.

"Brock."

"Jesus, Donna!"

"He'll ask what we need him to ask, Joshua. Don't take that tone with me. He's the right  
one and you know it." She gets in his face; eye to eye, toe to toe.

"What time?"

"In 30 minutes."

"Donna! I won't have time to prepare!"

"You don't need time to prepare." She assures him. "Plus, if we get that out of the way in  
30 minutes, we'll be free and clear after the charter school for…strategizing." A change  
comes over Josh's face. He relaxes and actually smiles.

"That could be good." He nods his head and she returns the smile. "We got through a lot  
last night."

"Yes, we did." She agrees. "30 minutes in the Willow room." She instructs him and leaves  
the room but not without a backwards flirtatious glance at Josh when she hits the door. I  
saunter over to Josh and his attention is still on the door Donna passed through several  
moments ago.

"You know it never occurred to me to ask you what your motives are in all this." I mention  
casually and this gets his attention. "I mean you keep telling me over and over that I have  
no chance of winning the nomination let alone the Presidency, so why are you bothering  
with my campaign? Could it be that there are other benefits to working on my campaign  
besides getting someone you believe in elected to high office?" I ask tongue in cheek and  
expect a wise ass answer. Instead his expression sobers.

"You know better than that. I came to you when Donna was still working for the other  
team. There was absolutely no ulterior motive." He says meeting my eyes without so much  
as a blink.

"I was just teasing, Josh. I didn't mean to piss you off."

"Sorry. People have a habit of making assumptions about Donna and me. It's unfounded  
and I don't appreciate the implications."

"I understand." Man, he's really in love with that woman. I wonder if he realizes it yet.

"Good. That being said, there are most assuredly other benefits to working on this  
campaign." He cracks a grin to let me know that I'm forgiven for my remark. "I've got to go  
change before we meet with Greg Brock. Look over those notes Donna gave you. No one  
can do prep like Donnatella Moss." And with that word of advice, he's gone. Helen  
approaches me and takes my hand.

"Dinner?" she asks.

"Sounds good." We begin walking towards to door. "I've tried for weeks to get you on the  
road with me and one call from Donna has you here within 12 hours? What gives?"

"I've met you for plenty of events in Iowa and New Hampshire!" she protests.

"Half-heartedly and not for very long. Just what did Donna say to you?"

"She said it would be fun." Helen answers simply.

"Fun?" I repeat.

"You wouldn't understand, honey, it's a Sisterhood thing." She tells me as she open the  
door. I'm not sure what that means, but it can't be good news for me.


	3. Time to Lead Part 3

Chapter 10

Josh's POV:

"Greg, it's good to see you again." Donna tells him sincerely. Greg Brock shakes her  
hand and smiles back at her before turning to me.

"Josh Lyman." Greg shakes my head. "When Donna told me I'd be getting an exclusive  
with both of you, I thought she was messing with my head."

"No reason we can't do both." I tell him.

"Quite a shake up in the top two campaigns over the last 24 hours." Greg notes. "I can't  
believe it's coincidental."

"Was there a question in there someplace, Greg?" Donna asks.

"How it is that you both end up joining the Santos campaign at the same time after  
abandoning what were clearly the top two candidates in the race for the Democratic  
nomination?"

I sit back and pour some coffee for all of us, perfectly content to let Donna take this part  
of the interview.

"Josh didn't abandon anyone." She clarifies. "John Hoynes abandoned his campaign and  
all the people who had been working so hard for him. Josh then had to review his options  
and decide what he was going to do next. When we talked those choices over together it  
became increasingly clear to both of us that we had been working for the wrong  
candidates."

"How did the Vice President react when you told him about your realization?" Greg asks  
pointedly.

"He was understandably dismayed." Donna says diplomatically. "The Democratic party  
has been fortunate in that we've had a talented pool of candidates to choose from this  
election cycle." Donna pauses while I try to turn my laugh into a cough. "I initially chose to  
work for the Vice President because my head told me he had the best chance of  
capturing the nomination. What I forgot, and what Josh reminded me of when we spoke,  
was that it wasn't my head that caused me to pack up all my belongings into my car and  
drive to Nashua 8 years ago; it was my heart."

"So Matt Santos is the new Jed Bartlet?" Greg asks.

"Matt Santos isn't the new Jed Bartlet. Unfortunately, the country only gets one of those.  
But Congressman Santos reminded us both of President Bartlet when we first started  
campaigning for him. He's a man of vision, strong personal integrity, and leadership skills  
which have already proven to be formidable in his role as Congressman. If he could  
master the tough issues as Congressman, just imagine what he could do as President."

"What do you think both of you bring to this campaign and is it enough at this stage of the  
game to make a difference?" He asks.

"We've worked 2 winning Presidential campaigns in the past so we know how much hard  
work is involved." Donna begins. "It takes a tremendous amount of organization and  
political skill to thrive under these high intensity circumstances. I've never met anyone in  
my life with more political skill than Josh Lyman and I'll keep things organized and running  
smoothly. One thing we've learned over the past 8 years is that we make a formidable  
team."

"Having been so intimately involved in the Bartlet administration, do you anticipate  
bringing the President in to stump for you guy?" Brock inquires.

"The President can't get involved until the Democratic Party chooses a nominee. He still  
has a Government to run." I remind him. "But we look forward to campaigning with him  
once the Congressman is the nominee."

"Did you know John Hoynes was still having issues around infidelity?" Greg asks me  
directly.

"I won't talk about John Hoynes and his 'issues'." I answer shortly.

"Since the story about him and the intern broke, 3 other women have come forward with  
allegations."

"I won't talk about that." I repeat.

"There have been similar rumors over the years about Congressman Santos. Do you  
worry at all that you're jumping from the frying pan and into the fire?"

"No." I say simply and Donna takes a deep breath.

"I think that Josh, who had a significant history with John Hoynes, hoped that his previous  
personal problems were history. It was very disappointing to find out that wasn't the case."  
Donna smoothes over the answer for me. "As far as Congressman Santos is concerned;  
he doesn't have those kinds of issues. He is a devoted husband and father, and there is  
nobody who can or will dispute those facts. Anything else you've heard is just rumor.  
There are plenty of them going around D.C."

"Speaking of rumor…" Now I lean forward because I know exactly where Brock is planning  
to go with this. "There were a plethora of rumors about the two of you in Washington.  
When you were working as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Donna was your senior assistant.  
Then you both left the White House at the same time. Now you've both jumped onto the  
Santos campaign at the same time. Many people would say this is further evidence that  
there has been a personal relationship between you for years."

"Of course there is and has been a personal relationship between us for years." I state  
clearly. "Donna and I have been through hell and high water together. She has been, and  
always will be, one of my closest friends. The 'personal relationship' rumors you're  
referring to have been about a romantic relationship between us. That's complete bullshit.  
Donna and I have never been romantically involved together. We would never cross that  
line while we worked together in the White House; I respected Donna too much for that,  
and both of us respected President Bartlet too much for that." I pause and make sure that  
has sunk in for Brock. "Now having said that, things are different for us now, and I have  
every intention of trying to convince her to change the nature of our relationship, but that  
has nothing to do with why either one of us decided to work to get Congressman Santos  
elected President."

Greg breaks into a grin. "So you have two campaigns going on; one for Santos and one  
for Donna Moss?"

My eyes slide over to Donna's now widened eyes and I grin back at Brock. "Yeah, and I'm  
determined to win both of them." I vow more for Donna's edification than for Greg Brock's.

Brock asks me what it was about Santos that reminded me of President Bartlet and as  
Donna requested, I tell him about my lightbulb moment with the Congressman's answer on  
Ethanol in Iowa. Greg dutifully writes it all down.

"There is a lot of analysis when it comes to Presidential elections." Donna adds. "People  
look at money raised, staff assembled, and point spreads trying to determine who has the  
best chance of winning. But that isn't what it should be about; it should be about vision  
and potential…following your heart. That's why we are here and working for the  
Congressman. We're following our hearts."

Brock continues to focus on Donna. "Will Bailey, in his comments today, noted that your  
defection will be short lived. That you'll all be working for Russell once he wins the  
nomination."

"Defection?" This time I make no attempt to disguise my laugh. "Defection is when you are  
recruited to work as a Deputy Communications Director for the President of the United  
States and jump ship before you've unpacked your boxes to work for a stuffed shirt Vice  
President." I explain. "As for working for Russell…I will gnaw off my hand with my teeth  
before I would sign an employment contract to work for Russell." Donna lets out a sigh.

"What Josh mean is-" Donna begins

"Oh, I think I get what Josh means." Brock interrupts. "So where does the Santos  
campaign go from here?"

"Helen Santos is joining her husband for several campaign stops here before going solo  
on a Southern swing. We're concentrating on making personal connections so the  
American people can get to know who Congressman Santos is and what he believes in."  
Donna responds.

"Would that be because the campaign doesn't have the cash on hand to make  
competitive media buys?" Brock asks pointedly.

"That's because media buys can't convey the depth of the Congressman's convictions or  
his wealth of experience. He served in the Gulf war, worked in local and national politics  
and knows first hand the challenges of balancing family and work responsibilities. You can'  
t boil all that down into a 30 second spot. People need to meet him, listen to him, and ask  
him questions. You need to do the same thing." I point out. Greg nods.

"Okay." He agrees.

"Okay…what?" Donna asks.

"Okay, I'll meet him, listen to him, and ask him questions." Brock clarifies. "I can set it up  
with you, Donna?" she nods her assent. "Any chance I could bring a photographer and  
get some shots of the Santos's together?"

"I…I'm sure we can arrange that." Donna stammers a bit. "How do you feel about early  
morning meetings?"

"I live for them." Brock admits.

"Excellent. They have a joint appearance at the regional health center at 8 tomorrow  
morning, but I can get you a breakfast meeting at 7." Donna decides.

"Done." Brock stands and holds his hand out to each of us, but I stop him before he can  
turn to leave.

"Greg, off the record?" he nods at me. "You tell that ungrateful little bastard if he ever  
uses his bully pulpit to trash Donna again, he'll be joining Horton Wilde in the afterlife."  
Brock's grin just grows wider as Donna's head tips back in frustration and Greg leaves us  
alone.

"Did you have to do that?" she asks me wearily.

"I really did." I take her hand and lead her back up to my room. "See, you think just  
because I was on the phone that I didn't hear what you told the Congressman about what  
Bailey said to you. I heard every word you said and even the words you left out. Hunting  
season on you is officially over now."

"I guess." She replies to my vehement response. "I guess I should be grateful that you  
waited until the end and kept it off the record."

"See how good I'm getting at the press stuff?" I congratulate myself and earn a smile. I try  
2 times to open the door with the key card before giving up and handing it to Donna.  
Once we clear the threshold, I toss my backpack on the floor and pull her into my arms.  
Our eyes meet briefly before I take her mouth with mine and move us backwards until her  
back is against the wall. She moans softly and I decide right then that the promise I made  
last night to take things slowly was made under duress and I can't be held to it in any  
court of law.

I push her jacket off her shoulders and pull the tails of her shirt out of her skirt before she  
makes a token protest.

"Josh, wait." She tells me breathily and I have to admit it only encourages me to begin  
unbuttoning her shirt. I know, I'm oppositionally defiant that way, but if you could see her  
right now, her eyes all heavy lidded and cheeks flushed with passion, you'd be hard  
pressed to react any differently.

"I can't wait, Donna." I whisper as I take her earlobe into my mouth. "I've been waiting  
forever. I have to be with you…I need to have you…right now." It is the word 'need' that  
pushes her over the edge and she begins walking me backwards towards the bed.

"We have to leave for the charter school thing in an hour and 10 minutes." She informs  
me.

"Oh, that's not going to be nearly enough time to demonstrate the depth of what I'm  
feeling for you." I tell her. "But I'll do what I can."

We make to the car with moments to spare and I am amazed at how Donna is able to put her  
professional face on and converse with Helen Santos, reviewing the points we want her to hit at  
the charter school, even though we've just experienced the most mind blowing sex I've ever  
had…3 times. It would have been only twice, but then I convinced Donna we really needed to  
shower, and that it would save time if we showered together. I'm still not sure how my campaign  
for Santos will turn out, but I feel pretty confident that my campaign for Donnatella Moss made  
great inroads today.

I manage to get my head back in the game when Donna tells them they're having a breakfast  
sit down with Greg Brock. Helen looks concerned, but Donna immediately reassures her and  
promises to prep Helen for it herself when we get back. I only make note of this fact because I  
was really hoping she and I could 'strategize' a bit more when we got back. Now it'll have to  
wait. Damn Presidential campaign.

"Josh?" Santos says my name like he's repeating himself.

"Sorry, sir. I lost my train of thought there for a second." Santos notes where my gaze has been  
focused and grins.

"So I gathered." He says. "That happens to me sometimes too. They can be very distracting,  
can't they?" he nods towards Donna and Helen.

"Yes, sir." I agree. "However, we'll have to summon the strength. This is a great opportunity to  
tout the kind of educational reforms you've been talking about. This charter school has  
extended the number of student contact days and has developed their own teacher incentive  
program; both of which have garnered tremendous results."

"I read Donna's cards Josh." Santos informs him. "I've got it down. Are you sure there's going  
to be anyone there to listen to what I'm saying?"

"Relatively sure, yeah." I indicate the crowded parking lot and people lined up for blocks waiting  
to get inside the charter school.

"It looks like it's going to be packed." He says in an astonished tone.

"Josh pulled a few strings and bumped up attendance." Donna smiles at me while she tells  
Santos. "He knows people here who owe him."

"I guess." Santos cranes his neck trying to see where the line of people ends. "Maybe we  
should have picked a bigger venue. I don't think all these people will fit inside."

"We don't want a bigger venue. We want the visual of a room overflowing with people. I can get  
them here, but now you have to get them to stay and see your point of view."

"Well, no pressure there." Helen quips and leans over to squeeze her husband's hand.

"Uh, Josh, the entrance was back there." Matt tells me as we pass the front door of the school.

"Yeah, but the line goes back 5 or 6 blocks. The car's going to take you to the end of the line.  
You can walk your way up to the entrance, shaking hands all the way into the school. They  
want to see you up close and personal, so that's what they're going to get. Mrs. Santos, stay  
glued to your husband's side. There are going to be plenty of photographers and camera  
operators here and I want every click of the shutter to capture the two of you together." I  
explain.

"This is what we were talking about before, Helen. We're creating a visual in the minds of the  
voters. You and Matt are a team. It will make a nice contrast to Russell and Waverly who are  
campaigning solo." Donna reminds her.

"Knock 'em all down, sir." I tell him as he exits the car with Helen. It takes almost an hour to grip  
and grin their way into the charter school, making the tour and speech that much later, but it  
doesn't matter because these people have made a connection with him already. He lauds the  
successful innovations the school has made and talks about the hopes he has for his children'  
s public school education and for the public education system itself.

Helen Santos is phenomenal. She asks lots of questions and appears sincerely interested in  
the answers she's receiving. She manages to weave in some of the policies her husband has  
worked to enact without sounding like a political ad. Except for the time the Congressman  
spends at the podium, Helen follows Donna's instructions and stays glued to Matt's side.

Matt Santos gets a standing ovation from the overflowing crowd which several local news  
outlets capture on film and will undoubtedly be fed to their network affiliates. When we get back  
to the hotel, we gather in the Santos suite for a late night snack, a recap of the day and a  
review of tomorrow's schedule. We're still pretty wired when we break up for the evening and I  
am able to persuade Donna to come back with me to my room for more strategizing.

Let me say for the record that I love strategizing. It has always been my favorite part of any  
campaign. However, strategizing has now moved to another level and I can't get enough of it.  
For the first time in my life, politics is taking a back seat in my list of priorities.

"Why did you tell Greg Brock that you want to change the nature of our relationship?" she asks  
me as her fingers trace the scar on my chest.

"Because I do."

"But why tell Greg Brock that?"

"This isn't something I want to hide. People are going to notice we're together and I want  
people to know that it's both a recent development and that is was a conscious choice born out  
of many years of friendship, not some campaign fling." She smiles. "What?"

"You're trying to protect my reputation." She kisses my chin. "That's really very sweet."

"I can be sweet." I protest.

"I know you can." She assures me. "But you don't let it show very often, which makes it even  
more special when you do. We should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

"Yeah, we should." I reply yawning and tuck her head onto my shoulder. "I love you,  
Donnatella." He head pop up like it's on a spring.

"What did you just say?" she questions me.

"Ummm…I love you?" she looks alarmed and that alarms me now.

"Do you think you could say it again without the question mark at the end?"

"I…love you."

"I love you too, Joshua; so very much." She tells me quietly and the intensity of the emotions in  
her voice is my undoing. I roll us over until I am laying full length on top of her. My exhaustion  
has disappeared…who needs sleep anyway.

I wake up the next morning so happy that I think I might simply die from it. I carefully extricate  
myself from Donna to start some coffee brewing and grab the paper from outside my door.

The headline, just below the fold, has Greg Brock's byline and reads:

"Following their Hearts to Santos". Brock skillfully interweaves the two campaigns I told him I  
was on (Santos & Donna) and tells the reader about the romance of the dark horse campaign;  
literally and figuratively. It is a great piece and it's going to generate a lot of ink. At the end, he  
promises his readers an in depth look at Matthew Santos after his interview with him this  
morning.

I take the paper back to bed with me where Donna is watching me sleepily. I hand the paper to  
her and watch as a wide smile blooms on her face. I can't help it. I have to kiss her. Knowing  
there is a time constraint, I remove myself from temptation and go to take a shower.

"Coffee's brewing." I toss over my shoulder. "You could bring me in a cup when it's done."

"Dream on Joshua. That part of our relationship isn't going to change." She promises and I find  
myself able to live with that considering the trade off.

Chapter 11

Donna's POV:

We are gathering momentum every day, but I see the concern in Josh's eyes that it is too little  
too late. This competition between our campaign and Russell's has taken on epic proportions.  
It's not just about Santos winning, it's about Will Bailey losing. It's become personal for Josh  
and that concerns me a bit.

When we arrive at the Capitol for the stem cell vote, my heart starts hammering when I see two  
figures waiting at the entrance to the floor of the House of Representatives: Will Bailey and Cliff  
Calley. Is there anyone else you'd like to throw in there, God? Maybe Jack Reese or Amy  
Gardner? I turn quickly to Josh.

"Why don't you head back to the office? This is just a pit stop. I can handle it." I suggest  
moving to block his view of the people ahead of us.

"You know if I had made that suggestion, you'd have hit me for it." He chuckles. "It's fine.  
Besides with all the press covering the vote you might need me for spin too. I'm thinking after  
the vote we should…" he trails off as he spots Will and Cliff. His head swings to me and he  
gives me dirty look. "You think I can't handle the dynamic duo?"

"They're not really a team, Joshua." I remind him.

"They're a little too close for comfort." He responds and we reach the men in question.

"Thanks for taking time out of your campaign to come and vote this one, Congressman." Cliff  
offers and shakes Matt's hand, then moves on to shake Josh's. "Congratulations on your  
recent victories."

"Thanks, but it's all about Super Tuesday now. How's my office?" Josh strikes back.

"A little small, but it's all about the location." He jokes and turns to me, kissing my cheek. "Hey  
Donna, the campaign trail must agree with you. You look gorgeous."

I know most of that was meant for Josh's ears. Cliff seems to enjoy yanking his chain. Still I kiss  
him back and smile at him. "It's good to see you Cliff." I can feel waves of energy radiating off  
Josh now and he possessively takes my hand in his.

"Bailey…" Josh calls to him. "Here to soak up a little free media?"

"The Vice President retains his floor privileges in the House. It's an important vote for the  
President and the Vice President is here to lend moral support." Will responds.

"That's very big of him…but then that's really the only thing Russell can offer, isn't it?" I whisper  
a warning 'Josh' in his direction but he ignores me. "Truly it takes a lot of guts to waste time  
here, where Russell doesn't even have a vote, instead of stumping for Super Tuesday. Or is  
your war chest running so low that Russell has to come to the cameras instead of having the  
cameras come to him?" Josh asks jovially. Now I am tugging him forward past Will. This can't  
end well.

"Hi Donna. Looks like things are going well for you." Will says looking down at where my hand  
is joined with Josh's. "I want you to know there are no hard feelings about you leaving the Vice  
President's campaign. Obviously, the Santos campaign had…additional benefits that I just  
couldn't match." Josh starts to move back toward Will but I keep him moving forward. I do call  
over my shoulder to respond to him though.

"That's true Will. You are no match for Josh Lyman." Cliff laughs out loud and walks down the  
hall with us while we wait for the vote to conclude.

"Seriously, I appreciate you pulling in all your surrogates for the vote." Cliff repeats.

"It's an important vote." Josh answers. "It was the right thing to do." Cliff nods in response. If I  
didn't know better I'd swear something passes between these two. They may be on opposite  
sides of the aisle, but they are a lot more alike than either one of them would care to admit.  
Maybe that's what attracted me to Cliff in the first place. Both men have a strong sense of right  
and wrong…and huge egos. My musings are interrupted by the arrival of Matt Santos and Bob  
Russell. They explain that the Speaker pulled the vote once he saw how many Democrats were  
on the floor.

Russell notes that there isn't anything more that can be done, and he's off to hit the campaign  
trail for Super Tuesday. Cliff rolls his eyes.

"Congressman, can I convince you to stay a little longer? Give me some time to come up with  
another strategy?" Cliff implores Matt.

"We've got a big fundraiser to get to." Josh reminds him.

"I'd be happy to stay if it would make any difference." Matt told him. "But as long as we're here  
the Speaker won't call the vote. The minute we leave; he will. Do you two see any way around  
that?"

"Even if we wait it out someplace else, Haffley will hear if we cancel the fundraiser." Josh  
comments. "We need to go, sir."

"But we could come back, couldn't we? After the event?" I ask. "The Congressman flies himself  
so no one would know where we were headed but us."

"We'd still need someplace to hide out when we got here. If the Speaker catches sight of us we'  
re dead in the water." Josh notes.

"Let me take care of the details. You and your surrogates will come back after the event?" Cliff  
clarifies.

Matt and Josh exchange glances and Josh nods. "We'll fly back later tonight. You work out the  
details before we get back." Matt decides. I smile because this is what it's like when you're  
working for the real thing…it feels good.

*******************************************  
Cliff's POV:

There are over 30 members of Congress stuffed into the Vice President's office on the hill. I  
figured since he was going to be out campaigning, he couldn't possibly be using it. More  
Congressmen and women are coming even now; being ferried by the Congressman from  
Arkansas who lives in his office here. It's become a kind of high school lock-in atmosphere;  
everyone is relaxed and cracking jokes. I decide to take my life in my hands and sit next to Josh  
Lyman who is pouring over some papers in the dim lamp light.

"Thanks for making this happen." I tell him sincerely and he looks up at me.

"I told you, it's the right thing to do." He replies. "And there is the added benefit of sticking it to  
Haffley." He grins when he says this and I see the dimples that Donna wrote about in her diary  
so long ago.

"Put that down and eat something Joshua." Donna thrust a couple plates with sandwiches on  
them at us.

"I need to go over the latest numbers, Donna."

"Then eat something so you have the energy to do that." She winks at me even as she scolds  
him. "And put on your reading glasses so you don't hurt your eyes. Cliff would you like some  
coffee?"

"That would be great, thanks." I agree and Josh shoots her an incredulous look which she  
completely ignores.

"You two have turned into quite the formidable team out there." I comment.

"We've always been a formidable team." He corrects me.

"I guess." I agree thinking about diaries and Congressional investigations. "But if you don't  
mind me saying so, it seems different now."

"I guess." He repeats my words back to me then give me another nasty look as I take the coffee  
Donna hands to me. "I could use some coffee too."

"You've had enough." She responds without even looking at him.

'It must be nice…having someone looking out for you all the time." I muse out loud.

"It really is." Josh says as he takes the coffee out of my hand and drinks it. "She'll get you  
another one." He justifies his theft. "Even better than that, she reminds me why we're doing  
this. You know what it's like now. Being Deputy Chief of Staff, you get so caught up in winning  
the battle that you can easily forget why you're fighting the battle in the first place; but that will  
never happen with Donna next to me."

"Is that why you started with Hoynes? Donna wasn't there to remind you?"

"I thought she would kick my ass all the way to Texas." Josh laughs. "She saw the real thing in  
Santos even before I did. She is incredible."

I watch him watching her and I see a connection that rekindles a jealous feeling deep inside  
me. I know that what these two have is special.

"Actually, I think she did for awhile." I note. "I read some of the back and forth between you  
when you were still in opposite camps." To my relief, Josh laughs at that too.

Donna chooses that moment to return to us and her eyes narrow on the cup in Josh's hand.

"He gave it to me, baby, I swear." He defends himself and damned if I don't nod in agreement.  
She looks at us both skeptically before opening the door in answer to the secret knock and lets  
in another 5 members of Congress.

"This is going to be quite the coup." I remark.

"If you can goad Haffley into the vote over squash." He challenges me.

"Trust me. Piece of cake." I boast. There is companionable silence for a minute.

"We should take a picture of this." Josh suggests.

"What, for posterity?" I ask

"No. Well, that too. But I was thinking we could email it to Bailey when this is all done. Thank  
him and his candidate for their unwitting hospitality." Josh chuckles.

"Unwitting…that sums up the whole Russell campaign doesn't it?' I start laughing. Josh joins in  
and soon we're both laughing so hard tears are coming down our faces.

"Everything alright over here, guys?' Donna asks looking concerned.

"Fine." Josh tries to sober. "We're just comparing notes." That strikes us both as terribly funny  
when we consider how she might have interpreted it and we burst into laughter again. "I mean  
about the job…Deputy C.O.S." Which is true, but equally hard to believe when we're both  
laughing so hard.

"Uh-huh." Donna takes the cup from Josh, sniffs it, then takes a sip. Deciding it is still straight  
coffee, she hands it back. "You two should try and get some sleep. The Congressman too, but  
he's a little busy trying to win over one more vote." She nods her head at where Matt is in a  
heated discussion with the Congressman from Arkansas.

"He'll get it too." I add. "He's a good man. I hope he gets the nomination. Of course, he's  
doomed to failure once he faces Vinnick, but he should still know the victory of the nomination  
at least." I tease.

"Thanks." Josh replies. "It's good to know Republicans can still spot a good man; it's been so  
long since they've had one among them." We all smile companionably at each other and when  
the vote passes the next day; it's a victory for all of us.

It wasn't until the next day that I had time to send an email to Will Bailey, CC'd to Josh Lyman. It  
was a note thanking the Vice President for the use of his office and included a photo I'd gotten  
with my cell phone. Josh Lyman sound asleep on the Vice President's couch, Donna is his  
arms, surrounded by dozens of other sleeping Democrats. I didn't get a reply from Bailey, but  
Josh's reply had me laughing the rest of the day.

Chapter 12

Josh's POV:

We're 4 days out from the convention and trailing Russell by 31 votes going into the  
convention. Damn, if we just had one more primary…Now, Russell has approached the  
Congressman about taking the VP spot on his ticket to avoid a floor fight. Seriously, I had to  
hang up the phone to keep from laughing in Bailey's ear. No way were we going to come all this  
way and then take the second spot…especially not the second spot under Russell.

I'm racking my brain looking at the delegate count trying to figure out who I can get to switch on  
the second ballot and how when Donna bursts into my office.

"You need to call Toby." She says urgently.

"I tried last week, Donna. The man doesn't want to talk to me. I can't force him to talk to me."  
Toby and I had a bit of a…falling out the last time I was at the White House. It was ugly and it  
got physical. Toby said some pretty hateful things to me and I took it very personally. We  
haven't spoken since, despite Donna's best attempts at brokering a peace deal.

"It's not always about you, Joshua. Would you look at me please?" Donna's shrill tone got my  
attention. "There's been an accident on the Space Station and they're not expecting the  
astronauts to survive. You need to call Toby." She reiterates.

My mind struggles to catch up with what Donna is telling me. "What about the Soyuz capsule?"

"It's been damaged too. They can't use it to get home and the other two shuttles can't be  
readied in time to help. Call Toby." She hands me the phone now.

"What has this got to do with-" Finally the pin drops. Toby's brother, who was an astronaut died  
just before our last encounter at the White House. David had been sick, but suicide was the  
cause of death. If there were 3 more astronauts in mortal danger, than Toby would be…

I took the phone from Donna and dialed. I asked for Toby Ziegler and wonder of wonders, he  
picked up.

"I trusted you to beat that weasel Bailey and you're still 31 votes down. I taught you better than  
that." This is how he opens the conversation.

"You taught me…right." I agree since Donna is watching and listening to me intently. "I hear  
you guys are having quite the day over there."

"Uh-huh." He replies without emotion in his voice.

"Are options being discussed?"

"I've been told there aren't any." Toby tells me tightly.

"Uh-huh." I take this in. In my position as Deputy C.O.S., I've learned things that I'm not always  
comfortable knowing. Toby, as Communication Director is privy to some of those things, but not  
many of them. Now I'm left wondering if Toby is really aware of exactly what options the  
President actually has.

"I know better, however, so I'm having a little trouble keeping my mouth shut." He admits. So  
much for wondering what he knows.

"Trouble keeping your mouth shut?" I repeat. "That doesn't sound at all like you." I cover the  
phone for a second to ask Donna to give us a minute. She gives me a puzzled look but exits my  
office. Once she does I resume our conversation. "We can't really talk like this." I warn him.

"I know that." Toby snaps back at me. "I can't really talk to anybody."

"Sure you can." I disagree. "Talk to him, Toby. He'll listen to you; he always has."

"Not lately he hasn't" Toby counters. "Since you left, he's closed himself off from all of us. He  
doesn't even seem to trust C.J. anymore."

"You need to try again, Toby. This is too important. He wants to go there already I promise  
you." I try to convince him.

"And just what do I say? What can I say?"

"You say that if there's any means the President has to save these people, it would be morally  
reprehensible to ignore them."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." I confirm. "Go find him now. The clock is running out, right?"

"Right." He agrees. "Josh…thanks."

The light on my phone line barely blinks off before Donna once again bursts into my office.

"Were you just sitting out there watching for when my phone light went out?"

"Maybe. Is Toby okay?" she asks me with concern evident in her voice.

"I'm not sure." I answer honestly. "We'll see. At least he's talking to me now."

"I told you before it wasn't really you he was mad at."

"He did a pretty good imitation of someone who's mad at me. I have a lot of experience in that  
area, Donna. I know the signs." I tell her authoritatively.

"He'd just lost his brother, Josh, and seeing you reminded him that he'd lost his honorary  
brother to Santos. He was angry and took it out on you. Don't take it personally."

"I'm trying not to." I turned back to the papers on my desk trying to make the numbers change  
by my telepathic power.

"We need to eat some dinner." She reminds me.

"I'll eat later."

"Josh, it's already 9 o'clock at night. Later would be breakfast. Let's go get some food." She  
takes the papers away from me and pulls me up to standing. "We can take another pass at this  
after we eat."

"Donna…"

"We'll just go to the deli down the street. Just a few minutes to recharge the batteries and get  
some fuel."

"You know I'm a person, not a car, right?" I confirm.

"Most definitely." She agrees. After a sandwich and a little necking on the way back I do feel  
refreshed. We hit the delegate count again and try to come up with a plan to shake enough  
votes loose to capture the nomination.

"We can do this all night, but it's not going to change anything before the first ballot." Donna  
notes. "Take me back to the hotel and make love with me."

"How could anyone turn down an offer like that?" I tug her closer to me and kiss her  
enthusiastically. "This is just a Presidential election after all. No big deal."

"Actually, it's just the nomination for the Presidential election." She corrects me.

"Then why did we come back here at all?" I ask and kiss her again. "Hell, let's just lock the door  
and clear off the desk." I tease and I'm delighted to see her consider that option for a moment.

"I'd prefer a bed." She decides. "Come back with me Joshua. Leave the convention stuff here.  
It will be waiting for us when we get back."

I meant what I said to Calley. It's great to have someone who takes care of you and needs you.  
But as I'm lying next to her, watching her sleep, I think the best part of this new relationship with  
Donna is the peace I feel whenever we're together. It's an incredible gift and one I hope I never  
take for granted.

The alarm goes off at 6 and I take a shower first. When I get out, Donna has CNN on and there  
are tears in her eyes. I check the scrawl to see what's happening. They're announcing that the  
3 astronauts are returning safely to earth after miraculously making repairs to their spacecraft.  
Her shining eyes meet mine and I feel a smile stretch across my face as I wrap my arms around  
her from behind her and we watch the footage of the astronauts returning home together.

"That a boy, Toby." I chuckle. The day is off to an auspicious start.

Donna's POV:

This is it. Russell and Santos will both address the convention before the first ballot is called.  
Josh has managed to finagle several more votes for Santos from some smaller candidates,  
including some crack smoking Hoynes supporters, but he still doesn't have the 2,162 votes for  
the nomination. Santos has a 20 minute speech in which to persuade enough of these  
delegates to elect him as the nominee.

Russell actually wanted to speak first and we all agreed we should let him. He's introduced by  
one of his Congressional brethren. We watch with baited breath as he speaks, and although  
he doesn't stumble, he doesn't set the place on fire either. The Congressman watches from the  
wings and fingers his speech nervously. This one is a little different. Dave started it, but I think  
when he realized all that was riding on it, he got a little overanxious. Josh took what Dave had  
and sent it to a friend to look at. 2 days later, Josh handed Matt the finished speech and  
credited it to a friend named 'Bob'.

We all agreed it was excellent. The Congressman in particular, pressed Josh for more details  
on who wrote it, but Josh was unusually quiet on the subject. I wasn't fooled for a second. I may  
have distinctive penmanship, but Toby Ziegler has a distinctive writing style. I understand why  
he couldn't help us overtly while he was still at the White House. But the fact that he could and  
did help us under the radar, seemed to heal a lot between Josh and Toby.

Will Bailey is standing not 10 feet from me and I watch him for awhile. If it's possible, he seems  
more nervous than either candidate and I'm reminded that this is his first National election.  
Russell finishes and Will let's out a huge sigh of relief. That must be true anxiety…being afraid  
that every time your candidate opens their mouth they're going to say something stupid. I  
remember that feeling from my brief tenure with the Russell camp and thank God that I came to  
my senses…in more ways than one. I glance over to see the pacing movement of Josh Lyman.

Lots of people might look at his behavior and see just nerves. They are certainly there, but this  
behavior isn't about nerves; it's about excitement. He keeps saying 'it's all going to be over  
tonight Donna, I can feel it' despite my pleas for cautious optimism. Our eyes meet for a  
second and he grins at me before looking around me at Will and then rolling his eyes. Russell  
has come off stage and the Congressman is being introduced by his wife.

Helen Santos appears nervous, who wouldn't be, but her smile stays bright and she gives her  
audience a sincere picture of who her husband is. You would have to be blind not to see the  
love and the pride in her face as she introduces her husband and Matt Santos takes the stage.  
He starts out slowly and deliberately laying out his plan for our country, building in tempo and  
volume until the room is at fever pitch. They are chanting his name so loudly, that he has to  
shout to be heard over the voices at the end. I get Goosebumps all over and I look to see Josh'  
s reaction. He's finally stopped moving and is simply staring out from beside the curtain to the  
crowd beyond.

"Look what you've done." I tell him directly in his ear and place my hands on his shoulders. He  
covers my hands with his.

"You mean what we've done." He says before he kisses me. We can both hear the  
Congressman belting out the last few lines of the speech

"…Then you can go back to Chicago and Atlanta and Philadelphia with your heads held high  
and say 'I am a member of the Democratic Party'!"

The place goes wild. We watch Matt and Helen soak up the cheers and the applause for almost  
10 minutes. Finally, the Chair is able to gavel the crowd into submission and orders the state  
roll call for the first round of voting.

I meet Matt and Helen at the stage entrance and escort them quickly back to their suite. They  
are to stay out of sight. Once I have them settled there I look for Josh. Nobody can tell me  
where he is. I am getting a little frantic when I feel my cell phone vibrate. The caller ID simply  
reads: Josh

"Where are you?" I answer.

"Get down here!" He's shouting to be heard over the crowd.

"Where are you?" I demand.

"Texas."

"What?!"

"Meet me at the Texas delegation." He shouts.

"WHY?!"

"Meet me in Texas." He repeats before I hang up.

Trying to get anywhere during a convention is tricky at best. Trying to get across the  
convention floor during balloting could be deemed suicidal. By the time I get near the Texas  
delegation, Pennsylvania is awarding all its' delegates to Matt Santos. I'm searching the crowds  
of people for Josh when I finally spot him sitting behind the group of rowdy Texans. I think he's  
the only one in the entire building who is sitting down.

I fight my way through the crowd and he takes my hand to pull me into the seat next to him.

"What are you doing here?" I shout in his ear.

"Watching history." He replies. "South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee are all passing  
so Texas can have the honor of putting Matt Santos over the top and making him the  
Democratic nominee for President."

It's a common occurrence at a national convention, giving the nominee's home state the honor  
of awarding the nomination to their native son, but we weren't sure what the outcome was  
going to be tonight with the head to head combat with Russell. At least the rest of didn't  
know…Josh Lyman seems to have had it all worked out. Did I mention the man is brilliant?

"How did you know-"

"By Idaho I figured we'd have a great shot on the first ballot. By Louisiana, I had the math  
figured out and talked to South Dakota, South Carolina, and Tennessee." Both his dimples are  
showing as we hear the Tennessee chair pass on their opportunity to cast their votes and all  
eyes turn to Texas.

"Mr. Chairman, the great State of Texas casts all of its' votes for the next President of the  
United States and native son Matthew Santos!" …and the crowd goes wild; balloons drop and  
confetti flies.

I look over at Joshua and see this wonder on his face; like a little kid at Christmas. I check the  
monitors, hoping the staff has followed instructions and kept the Democratic nominee and his  
family off camera. So far, it's just shots of happy convention goers. Although at one point, they  
get a shot of a very disappointed Will Bailey. Then I hear Josh's voice over the din.

"What?!" I ask him to repeat whatever he's saying. He leans over so his lips are right next to my  
ear.

"Marry me." he whispers and I pull my head back to look at him. Damn, he's serious. He's even  
holding a ring. His eyebrows go up and I see a couple people in front of us elbow the people  
next to them as they discover the little drama going on behind them.

"Josh!" I laugh embarrassedly but his eyes never leave mine.

"I want the promise, Donna. Marry me."

"You're proposing to me on the floor of the Democratic National Convention?"

"Think of the story it will make for our kids."

"Our kids?" Now I'm worried he's lost his mind. Maybe this campaign was all a bit much for him.

"I'm getting old here, Donna. Are you going to marry me or what?" I look around and see  
everyone is watching us. So much for not being the story.

"Yes. Yes, I will marry you!" I have to shout to be heard over the crowd, but he either hears me  
or reads my lips because he slips the ring on my finger and kisses me like we are alone in our  
room. We break apart when we hear cat calls from all around us. Some enterprising  
cameraman has captured the event on film and our images are up on the screen now. I turn  
bright red and bury my head in Josh's chest. He laughs and waves before pulling me up from  
our seats and leading me out of the convention center. This has been my favorite national  
convention ever…and it's only the first day.


	4. Time to Lead Part 4

Chapter 13

Josh's POV:

We're still maneuvering our way off the convention floor when my phone starts vibrating. Yeah,  
that shot of us on the big screen is going to mean all kinds of phone calls tonight, I'm guessing.

The caller ID notes that this particular call is from the White House.

"Josh Lyman." I answer resignedly.

"Please hold for the President of the United States." Of course. Is it too late to hang up? Cell  
phone calls get dropped all the time, right?

"Joshua!" The booming voice of President Jed Bartlet comes over the line.

"Good evening Mr. President." I answer and Donna's shoots a glance at me.

"I was going to congratulate you on helping yet another no chance candidate win the  
Democratic nomination, but now I see it was all a ploy to get Donna to marry you."

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" I shoot back.

"It appears that it did." He agrees jovially. "Congratulations, Josh, and give my love to Donna  
will you?"

"Yes, sir, I will."

"We'll be there Wednesday. Tell Matt I'm looking forward to meeting with him then."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh and I meant to ask you. Who wrote the Congressman's speech tonight?"

"Uh…a new kid I hijacked from the Hoynes campaign." I hedge.

"A new kid? Incredible. It had the feel of an experienced Presidential speechwriter."

"Yeah, well he has an old soul, Mr. President." I try for humor and hit the mark as I hear the  
President laugh. He knows very well who wrote the majority of that speech and he wants me to  
know that he knows. Just then another call beeps in…my mom. And the hits just keep on  
coming…"Sir, my mother is calling in, would you mind?"

"See you both Wednesday, Josh." He says before hanging up and I click over to the other line.

"Hi Mom." I say and Donna bursts out laughing. That is until her phone starts ringing. She rolls  
her eyes and answers.

"Josh, darling, how are you?" She plays it all cool. The woman is good I tell you.

"Good, good. You?" Two can play at this game.

"Fine. Just got back from the movies with Ardy and thought I'd check in with my only son to see  
how he was."

"I'm just fine. What movie did you see?" I volley back to her.

"It was 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'." She hits back.

"That's not in theaters anymore, Mom."

"It was showing at the senior center and I thought I should watch it just, you know, in case it had  
any relevance for my life." Ruth Lyman continued. "Planning a wedding can get very  
complicated, Joshua. You have no idea."

"I would never want to put you through that Mom." I deadpan. "How about I promise that if I ever  
get engaged, I'll elope." That did it. I broke her. She lets out a big huff.

"I'm done talking to you now, Joshua. Put Donna on the phone." She tells me sternly.

"What makes you think Donna is with me right now?" I ask.

"Oh, the fact that I can see you both on TV right now gave me a pretty good indication." Okay,  
maybe she won that round. I look around for the camera even as I hand the phone to Donna.  
She hands me hers and mouths "Sam". I am definitely getting the better end of this deal.

"What the hell are you doing calling my fiancé?" I joke with my friend of 20 years.

"When you decide to do something, you really go big don't you?"

"No other way to play." I agree and smile as I watch Donna try to field what I'm sure are a million  
questions for which we have no answers yet.

"My next question, of course, is how did you get Toby do write that speech for you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I reply laughing. I finally spot the camera that's fixed on  
us and use my free hand to pull Donna off the convention floor with me. We need to get to the  
Congressman now.

"Uh-huh." Sam makes no further comment on the speech. "I just wanted to say I'm happy for  
you and proud of you."

"About the nomination or the other thing?" I ask for clarification.

"Both, but mostly the other thing." Sam chuckles. "Although taking Matt Santos to the  
Democratic nomination, and beating the sitting Vice President while you did it…There's going  
to be no living with your ego now is there?"

"I'm guessing Donna will be able to keep me in check. She always has."

"If anyone can do it, it would be Donna." Sam agrees. "Give her a kiss for me and good luck  
with the rest of the convention."

"Thanks, Sam. Bye." I hang up and take my phone back from Donna. "We've got to go now,  
Mom. We're meeting with the Democratic nominee for President."

"Fine, but I want an update by this time tomorrow…from you, not CNN, understand?"

"Yeah, I've got it. I love you Mom." She returns the sentiment, although it sounded a little  
grudging and we hang up. Donna knocks on the suite where the Santos family is residing for  
the week.

Miranda Santos is standing just behind the Secret Service Agent who opens the door. I imagine  
the only reason she's allowed to stand there is that the Secret Service has already cleared the  
hallway and the Agent opening the door already knew it was Donna and me standing there.  
Now that Matt Santos is the nominee, Agents are going to be everywhere.

"Hey Miranda." Donna greets her. "Wasn't your Daddy great on TV tonight?" She asks as we  
enter the suite.

"Uh-huh. So were you! Daddy laughed when he saw you, but Mommy cried." She relays all the  
reactions to our television appearance.

"What did you think?" Donna presses for Miranda's opinion.

"I don't know why big people like kissing all the time." She shakes her head sadly. But then an  
idea occurs to her. "Hey, if you're really gonna get married can I be the Flower Girl?"

"Miranda!" Helen scolds laughing. "That's very impolite." She reaches around her daughter  
and hugs Donna. "Congratulations."

"Thanks." Donna answers Helen before turning back to Miranda. "We haven't made any plans  
for the wedding, but I think you'd make a great Flower Girl."

"Josh, I hope you know that I have a Secret Service detail now, and if you ever hurt Donna I'll  
use them to make you disappear like Jimmy Hoffa." She smiles when she says that, so I'm  
reasonably sure she's kidding…still…

"Josh. Tell me you didn't convince me to run for President just so you'd have an opportunity to  
propose to Donna?" Matt shakes my hand and then envelopes Donna in a hug. "You sure you  
want to take him on permanently, chicken fighter?"

"Yes, sir, I certainly am." Donna answers confidently and I think I feel my chest swell.

"Then I think we have more than one reason to break open this bottle of champagne, don't  
we?" he replies and pops the cork. He fills the glasses that Helen hands to him until everyone  
has a glass, then proposes a toast.

"To following your heart." He announces and we all drink.

Helen's POV:

I can admit I was wrong about Josh Lyman. I thought he was a raging political egomaniac  
who didn't care about anything besides politics. It turns out he's a raging political  
egomaniac who doesn't care about anything besides Donna Moss and politics. And  
adding insult to injury, the political egomaniac part seems to be deserved.

When Matt first embarked on this journey, I thought it was just his swan song. He was  
leaving the House of Representatives and had a few issues he wanted to bring to the  
attention of the American people before he retired from Congress. Fine. He had no  
organization to speak of and although he's a gifted public speaker, even I knew it took  
more than that to wage a national campaign. So when he came to me with this plan to hit  
the road until the money ran out, I figured it would run out fairly quickly and then I'd have  
my husband back in Texas permanently.

This plan would have worked perfectly if Josh Lyman hadn't interfered not once but twice.  
First, with the chicken stunt that catapulted Matt into a media frenzy, and then when he  
and Donna joined his campaign and turned it into something serious. Still, I wasn't overly  
concerned. What could two former Bartlet staffers do at this point in the election cycle to  
get Matt even close to Russell in the polls or the delegate count? I was wrong again.

So that leads me to where we're sitting now; in the living area of our hotel suite waiting for  
the leader of the free world and the First Lady to arrive. I'm a nervous wreck. I have to  
give another speech tomorrow and meet the President of the United States and Dr. Bartlet  
today. Thank God Donna thought ahead and hired one of the interns to take the kids for  
the duration.

I hear voices outside the door and before I can take another deep breath Josh and Donna  
come in with Jed and Abby Bartlet.

"Congratulations Congressman." The President begins. "Mrs. Santos, you must be feeling  
a little overwhelmed at this point."

"You have no idea, sir." I reply. "Dr. Bartlet, it's an honor to meet you ma'am. Donna has  
told me so much about you."

"As long is it's Donna that's been telling tales and not Josh, we'll be fine." Abby smiles and  
takes my hand. "I think we should dispense with the formalities though. Please call me  
Abby."

"Thanks Abby, I'm Helen. Won't you all come in and sit down. Dinner won't be delivered for  
another hour or so."

We self-segregate, men on one side of the room, and women on the other. Josh naturally  
turns the conversation to the convention schedule and runs through all our  
responsibilities. Abby Bartlet must see something alarming in my expression because she  
leans over to me and gives me some advice.

"More and more strangers are going to enter your life from this point on, Helen. All you  
have to do is be yourself. If you remember to be true to yourself, everything else will fall  
into place." Abby pats my hand. "Of course a shot of whiskey before going on national  
television never hurt either." Donna and I laugh and draw attention from the men.

"Your other solemn duty, Helen, will be to keep your husband grounded. Remind him of  
what a jackass he is every once in awhile. No one else will say that to him." Abby's eyes  
meet Jed's and they twinkle.

"Oh, you don't have to remind her to do that, Dr. Bartlet. That part she has down already."  
Matt assures her.

"If we could get back to the speeches?" Josh interrupts impatiently.

"Everyone has their schedule Joshua." Donna reminds him. "This is supposed to be  
getting acquainted time. Why don't you pour everyone a drink?" she suggests.

"Why can't we have drinks and talk about the rest of the convention?" Josh quips.

"Because between you and me, everything is covered. Relax." Donna instructs him and  
Josh reluctantly takes drink orders.

"I have to ask you, sir. Has he always been this tense and uptight?" Matt indicates Josh  
with the glass in his hand.

"No. No indeed. Donna has had quite the calming effect on him. He used to be tense and  
on edge all the time." Jed laughed with Matt at Josh's expense and he rolled his eyes at  
them.

"This from the first candidate I plucked from obscurity and brought to the White House."  
He groused just as Leo made an entrance.

"Excuse me? Who plucked the candidate from obscurity?" Leo asks.

"I won't argue that you had something to do with it, but you have to admit, he wasn't going  
anywhere until Sam, Toby, CJ, and I came on board." Josh teased his mentor.

"I'll be writing it differently in my memoirs." Leo maintains.

"Speaking of memoirs." Jed interrupted smoothly. "What will I be writing in mine about your  
Vice Presidential pick?" He addresses the group at large but his focus is on Josh.

"We've spent the last two days going over the list again." Josh informs him. "The  
Congressman made his choice at lunch today. They're going to announce it tonight when  
they gavel in the evening session."

"You've cut it pretty close there, young grasshopper." Leo teases back. "Your guy won't  
have much time to prepare his speech for tomorrow night."

"Luckily, our guy has had lots of political experience. It will be a piece of cake." Matt  
chimes in and I try to keep a straight face. I know what's coming next and I'm curious to  
see everyone's reaction.

"Well…who is it going to be?" Leo asks, his face darting from person to person. Josh  
reaches behind the couch and pulls out a campaign sign in patriotic red, white, and blue  
that reads: Santos/McGarry. Leo almost falls off his chair.

"That is not a funny joke, kid." Leo speaks directly to Josh.

"It's not a joke at all." He agrees. "You're the guy."

"But…you can't be serious…" Leo stammers and Abby chuckles.

"Oh, he's serious alright." Abby disagrees. "And I for one, intend to enjoy every moment of  
watching you get put through your paces on the campaign trail."

"Your party needs you Leo, as does your country." Jed says quietly reading the disbelief  
in his friends' face.

"Besides, Vice President is really a step down from Chief of Staff." Josh explains with his  
tongue in his cheek. "You get to go to funerals and meet beauty Queens, that sort of  
thing."

"Seriously, Leo." My husband puts the conversation back on track. "I need you with me on  
this. Will you accept the Vice Presidential nomination?"

"You may end up regretting this, but...I'd be honored, Congressman." Leo shakes Matt's  
hand to seal the deal while Josh pours Leo something (non-alcoholic) to drink.

"To the Santos/McGarry ticket." President Bartlet holds his glass out for the toast and we  
all drink to that.

We watch together as Governor Eric Baker makes the nominating speech for Leo and I  
can see how touched Leo is by the remarks.

Donna and Abby have started talking about weddings. Donna seems a little overwhelmed  
by all that needs to be done and Abby is assuring her that anyone that can organize Josh  
Lyman can surely put together one wedding. Donna keeps talking about the appeal of an  
elopement; especially when the President talks about the possibility of a White House  
wedding.

I get up and move into the other room for a moment passing several Secret Service  
Agents as I go. I'm not sure I'll ever get used their presence. I pick up my speech from the  
desk in our bedroom and look it over again. I take it out to the living room intending to  
have Donna and Abby give it another look when I run into Josh.

"Everything okay?" he asks.

"Sure." I answer, but he looks down and sees the speech before I can turn the pages over.

"It's a great speech and you'll deliver it well. You've been a real asset out there, you  
know." He offers and I recognize this for the compliment he means it to be. Josh Lyman  
doesn't give out false compliments; in fact he rarely gives any compliments at all.

"Thanks." I answer a little self-consciously. "But this is different."

"It's really not." He argues. "Same thing, bigger audience." I laugh.

"Yes, by several million people." I'm aware my tone has become a little hysterical.

"I wouldn't think of it like that." He advises. "Just pick one person in the audience and  
speak directly to them. The rest is all superfluous. Put the speech away. It's fine."

"Should I picture them in their underwear too?" I ask facetiously.

"If that helps." He laughs. "I hear the Sisterhood is heading to the Spa tomorrow."

"I was promised 4 full hours of relaxation and primping. Think you can go without Donna  
that long?" I tease.

"Maybe." He says entirely too seriously. "But it will be tough. I depend on her a lot,  
especially when I'm stressed. Tomorrow will be a stressful day."

"You think?" I shoot back.

"The Congressman, he depends on you like that, too." He tells me. "He loves you very  
much and depends on you to ground him. I've learned a little bit about that recently." He  
grins and I see the charming smile Donna's told me about. "You know when you work in  
politics, you can pick the candidate you want to work for, but their spouse…that's a crap  
shoot. In this case, though, I'm proud to be working for both of you." He takes the papers  
out of my hands and leads me back to where the group is heckling one of the news  
anchors.

"Josh?" I stop him before we rejoin the others. "That was a nice speech and all, but don't  
think for a second I've forgotten who jump started this whole thing. If we win this, it's going  
to be all your fault."

"Yes, Ma'am." He grins and plops down next to Donna who is sitting on the floor enjoying  
the banter flying around the room.

Chapter 14

Josh's POV:

"NO! No, no, no." I mutter as I watch Helen's motorcade on TV as it makes an  
unscheduled stop a few blocks away from the school she is supposed to be visiting. We  
have had long, detailed discussions about unscheduled stops, Donna and I. She  
promised we would be more disciplined with the campaign events.

"Edie!" I shout. "Get Donna on the phone…Now!" Son of a bitch. Isn't it enough that we're  
running against a moderate Republican from California who has Bruno Gianelli running an  
extremely disciplined campaign? Do I have to be fighting Donna too?

"Line 3, Josh." Edie calls to let me know she's got Donna on the line. I punch the button  
for line 3 with a little more force than is strictly required.

"What the hell, Donna? We're running on time for a change so you & Helen have to make  
a pit stop for M&M's or something? If you can't control that woman, I'll send someone out  
there that can!" I pause for a breath, surprised Donna hasn't yet cut in. "Donna?"

"Sorry, Josh, she just ran in for some M&M's. Would you like me to give her a message?"  
Helen's droll voice came through my speakerphone. This was so bad.

"Hi…Mrs. Santos…could I speak to Donna, please?"

"She can't come to the phone right now." Helen tells me and I'm sure under other  
circumstances I'd appreciate her manners, but I can see both of them on the damn  
television.

"Gee, Mrs. Santos, from what I can see on CNN it LOOKS like Donna is available." I try to  
reign in my temper. "You might want to tell her to wipe that smirk off her face."

Helen relays my message and Donna actually waves at the camera. This is unacceptable.  
Time to reassert some authority.

"Would either of you mind telling the campaign manager why you've stopped 4 blocks  
away from the school you are scheduled to tour?"

"I was a little disappointed you took the Planned Parenthood Clinic off the schedule Josh."  
She answers.

"We talked about that, Mrs. Santos. We decided-"

"WE talked about it? No, you talked about it and you decided." She countered. "As luck  
would have it, I saw the sign for this clinic as we were driving by. WE decided to stop for a  
minute." And with that she snaps Donna's cell phone shut and hands it back to Donna as  
she starts shaking hands and talking to the people gathered outside. My head drops into  
my hands.

"Josh, line 2!" Ronna shouts. "It's Donna."

"Why did you give Helen Santos your phone?" I'm mentally exhausted already and it's only  
1 in the afternoon.

"She took it from me actually." Donna says and I can see her move away from the throng  
of people gathering. Jesus, the Secret Service must love this. "I told you she's not feeling  
included in the decisions, Josh."

"She's not the candidate, Donna." I point out yet again.

"She knows that. But here she is, her life turned upside down, her children in another  
state, and every move she makes being recorded by 100 different cameras. She needs to  
have a voice in this, or at least feel like she's being heard, or I'm afraid you're going to  
see a lot more of these impromptu stops."

"Is that some sort of threat?"

"Would you stop with your control issues for just a minute and look at the big picture?"

"And just what would that be?"

"Helen Santos is a bright, articulate, and attractive woman. Instead of using her as prop,  
you could be using her to push campaign issues. She can handle them Josh! Look at her.  
Listen to her. She's a formidable weapon you haven't even picked up yet."

I look over at the television screen and see Helen Santos deep in conversation with a  
young woman about the fact that birth control isn't covered under her health insurance  
policy.

"My husband and I aren't ready to start a family yet. He's working and finishing grad  
school and I'm working two jobs. But if he needed Viagra our health insurance will cover  
that. Why Viagra and not birth control? I come to this clinic because they provide quality  
health care that's affordable to us." The woman was telling her.

"Do you get nervous about coming here with all the protestors?" Helen asks her.

"A little. It seems kind of ironic that some anti-abortion protestors are using violence to  
protest against what they call violence. This clinic is important to my family and to a lot of  
other families in this neighborhood. Will your husband keep them open if he's elected?"

"Matt has always supported Planned Parenthood and he'll continue to do so as President.  
He has some innovative ideas about health insurance too. You should come hear him  
speak tonight at the University; 8:00."

"I'd love to go and ask him some questions but I'll be working my night job then. I work at  
the Caribou Coffee just down the street from here. "

"It must be tough with both of you working so much." Helen sympathizes.

"It'll be worth it down the road, but we're not sleeping much these days."

"I know exactly what you mean." Helen laughs. "Campaigning doesn't leave much time for  
sleep either. It was nice to meet you." Helen turns to the next person waiting for a word  
with her. CNN is still showing the video but have now cut audio.

"Josh?" Donna is waiting for some sort of response. I don't know what kind to give her.

"We can't be pulling in two different directions, Donna."

"She's not going in a different direction. She wants to help pull in the same direction. Give  
her something substantive to do." My eyes dart back to CNN where they are still sending  
video feed of her visit to the clinic.

"Bring her back here after the school tour." I tell her shortly before I cut the line.

"You asked to see me, sire?" Helen came into my office and shut the door.

"I thought we could share a beer." I tell her and move to my min-frig where I remove a  
couple beers. "You've had a very busy day." I pop the top and hand one to my candidate'  
s wife.

"And it's not over yet." She acknowledges as she take a sip. "I need to be front and center  
to be photographed politely applauding my husband at the University in two hours, so you  
better move this along."

My lips twitch and I'm reminded about what I first noticed about Helen Santos; she's got a  
wicked sense of humor and a dry wit. I've always found those to be great qualities in a  
woman, particularly when they're blond.

"It seems like we've been at cross purposes since the convention." I note.

"That because you want me to be an arm ornament for Matt." She says hotly.

"That's not true." I answer truthfully; keeping eye contact with her so she sees that it's the  
truth. "I'll be the first to admit that interpersonal relations aren't my strong suit-" she  
chortles and takes another drink. "but it was never my intention to make you feel like an  
appendage for the Congressman. I'll also be honest and tell you I like the visual of you  
together. Not only does it reinforce the image of a young, attractive, passionate couple,  
but it also subtly reinforces the image or Arnie Vinnick as old and alone."

"Can't we do that without me perpetually at Matt's elbow? Do you not trust me to tackle  
issues on my own?"

"It's not a matter of trust. We need to have a unified voice. We're 9 points down and  
running against an extremely politically savvy Republican."

"I'm aware of that. I want to help." She sets her beer down with a snap.

"Okay then." I get up and use the intercom. "We're ready Donna." A minute later, she  
enters with the Congressman, Edie, Bram, and Lou (a recent addition to the team). "First, I'  
d just like to point out to everyone that I used the intercom." I get scattered applause  
although it seemed a little sarcastic to me. "Second, we're changing our plays. We're  
going to split up the Congressman and Mrs. Santos. I'd like to hear ideas on how be can  
best utilize both of them."

"Helen's numbers are very strong in the South and the Northwest." Lou tells us. "We  
should really get her there talking more about health care."

"Health care?" Matt asks.

"You missed your wife's impromptu press conference at Planned Parenthood today." I tell  
him looking at Helen. "She brought up some important points. I think that's a good  
direction. Anybody else?"

"The Congressman should stay on point with education. It's his plan and every time we  
send Mrs. Santos to a school, it looks like he's ducking the issue. Plus, I'd like to add, it  
looks sexist." Donna throws in.

"I agree." Bram adds. "Education is something the Congressman is very passionate about  
and it's one of his best known policy plans. Mrs. Santos should stay with healthcare and  
homeland security."

"Excuse me?" Helen laughs at Bram's remark.

"He's right, although I 'm loathe to admit it." Lou states. "The Congressman can't toot his  
own horn about his military experience without coming off as egotistical. Mrs. Santos can  
talk about the service her husband has already given to his country as well as talk about  
the sacrifices of military families."

"Works for me. What do you say, Helen? Are you ready to take point on healthcare and  
security?" I ask her.

"Bring it on." She responds and I nod at her. "While we're in brainstorming mode, I have  
an idea about something I'd like to add to the schedule before the speech tonight."

"As in before the speech that's going to start in two hours?" I clarify.

"Yes, that one." She confirms. I'm about to shut THAT down, when I catch a look from  
Donna. I remind myself that this is her forte.

"Let's hear it." I sigh but earn a smile from my fiancé.

"It's not a big deal, but I thought on our way to the speech…" Helen starts.

"Julie?"

"Yes?"

"There's a guy waiting for you out front."

Julie sighs, wipes her hands on her apron and pushes through the swinging doors into the  
public part of the store. She is greeted by the flash of many photographers and one tall,  
dark, handsome candidate for President.

"Julie? I'm Matt Santos. My wife tells me you have some questions about health care.  
Since you can't get to the speech, I thought I'd stop and get some caffeine and you could  
ask your questions. Kind of kill two birds with one stone." He smiles and poor Julie is a  
goner.

"Yeah…I mean, yes, that would be great. What can I get you Congressman?"

"Anything with high octane in a large cup." He replies and the manager hops to get Matt's  
coffee while Matt encourages Julie to ask her questions.

"My husband has a pre-existing condition, so getting insured at all is difficult, but even  
when we qualify, the cost is so expensive we sometimes have to got without insurance at  
all. How would you change things so we could afford insurance after you're President?"

"Pre-existing conditions are just one 'disqualifying event' that insurance companies use to  
deny coverage or jack up premiums. When I'm President I will work with Congress to  
create new law that will give everyone portable coverage. That is coverage you can carry  
with you from job to job. When Americans, who live in the richest country in the world…"

Josh looks at his watch. "We are going to be so late." He murmurs.

"This was a brilliant idea and you know it. You're just sore because you didn't think of it  
first." Donna nods between where Matt is explaining health care issues and Helen is  
addressing the questions of customers of the other side of the store. "The media is all  
over this."

"But we're going to be late." Josh complains for form.

"It looks like he might bring a crowd from here with him." Donna returns. "Admit it Joshua, it  
was a great idea."

"Maybe." His dimples pop out despite his attempt to keep a straight face. Donna, unable  
to resist, kisses them.

Chapter 15

"I blew it. You can say I blew it, you know. The sky isn't going to fall." Leo asserted.

'I was more concerned with lightning striking." Josh replied smiling.

"You think it's so easy? Sure you do you're sitting over there smirking at me." Leo threw  
up his hands.

"You're the one who taught me to smirk in the first place." Josh argued, still smiling.

"And I can wipe it off your face just as easily, son." Leo threatened which just made Josh  
grin wider. "You know, ever since that woman agreed to marry you, you have been  
disgustingly cheerful."

"I really don't deserve her." Josh agreed.

"Tell me something I don't already know." Leo muttered. "I just blew a big answer in front  
of an entire contingent of national press and you just sit there smiling at me."

"But it was such a classic Leo line!" Josh counters and Matt Santos walks in without  
knocking.

"Leo, I get that this is your first time being an actual candidate, but if you could refrain  
from telling the press that I was completely ineffectual as a Congressman, I'd appreciate  
it." Matt was smirking too.

"I wasn't referring to you, I was referring to Congress in general and I-" Leo broke off when  
Josh and Matt both broke into laughter. "Never mind. I give up."

"Don't let them get to you, Leo. It's their job to twist your words around and try to rattle  
you." Matt told him encouragingly.

"Do you honestly think I don't know that?" Leo was getting worked up so Josh decided to  
step in.

"It's a whole different ballgame for you, boss." Josh said seriously. "Cut yourself a break."

"This isn't the worst of it. You know that." Leo groused at Josh while Matt look perplexed.

"Okay, I give. What the worst of it?" Matt asked.

"Mr. McGarry?" an intern interrupted them. "I'm sorry, sir, there's a call for you from the  
White House, a Mr. Potus?"

"That would be the worst of it." Josh told Matt as he busted out laughing again.

"Oh, shut the hell up, will you?' Leo complained, but he left to take the call.

"What you got there Joshua?" Matt indicated the spreadsheet Josh had in front of him.

"Numbers. Money numbers, polling numbers, and media market share numbers." Josh  
tipped his head back and rubbed his eyes. "I think there are numbers burned into the  
back of my eyelids."

"It's getting late. Why don't you go find that beautiful fiancé of yours and call it a night?"

"Mainly because she's in Oregon with your wife, sir."

"That could be problematic." Matt agrees. "Any movement on the debate negotiations?"

"No, Lou walked out on them and we've heard nothing since. If we have to go back and re-  
approach Bruno…"

"How long do we give them before we have to swallow that crow?" Matt asked.

"As long as is humanly possible." Josh deadpanned.

"Okay, then when do I get my wife back?"

"Would you stop blaming me for that?" Josh demanded. "It was her idea not mine.  
Besides, if you had a less intelligent, less appealing wife…"

"Thanks…I think." Matt drawled. "Why can't we close this last 4 point gap, Josh?"

"Because we haven't debated yet. That's all we need. A side by side, apples to apples  
comparison. We've got to get that debate soon so we have time to use it to woo  
undecideds."

"Woo? I don't think I've heard that word since I was forced to read Jane Austin in college."  
Matt teased him.

"Not only can I use the word appropriately in a sentence, but I can demonstrate it's  
meaning."

"Are you hitting on me, Joshua?" Matt grinned.

"Absolutely not…" Josh began and met Matt's eyes before they answered together;

"Not that there's anything wrong with that." And laughed.

"I think I'm getting punchy." Matt noted. "I'm going to try and get some sleep. You should  
too."

"Right. Hey, don't forget to look over the remarks David wrote for the Chicago forum. We  
leave tomorrow at 2." Josh reminded him.

"Is Vinnick still planning on going too?"

"They've got you scheduled an hour and a ½ after him." Josh reassured him, but the  
Congressman just rolled his eyes. "On the plus side, Helen and Donna will be meeting us  
there."

"At least there's something I can look forward to there." Matt said as he left Josh with his  
piles of numbers.

*****************************************  
Donna walked through the doors of the hotel and searched her memory for the location of  
the ballroom they were going to be in.

She picked up her pace walking down the hallway of what she hoped was the correct  
ballroom. She was so intent on looking at the plaques above each ballroom door she didn'  
t notice Josh waiting across the hall watching for her. He grabbed her from behind and  
she let out a shriek until she saw who had grabbed her.

"God! Do you know what you just did to my heart rate?" she scolded him.

"I imagine it's the same thing you just did to mine." He teased as he pulled her back into a  
corner with him. "Four days, Donnatella." He whispered as he placed kisses across her  
face. "Four days without kissing you…touching you…sleeping with you."

"Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, or even feel the same way, but we have to get  
to the ballroom. We don't want to miss the Congressman's speech or the Q & A."

"They're running late." Josh murmured and kissed her mouth with slow deliberation.

"Politicians being long winded? Who'd have ever considered that?" she said drolly.

"I've been thinking…" Josh admitted when they came up for air. "We're going to be in  
Nevada in two days; the wedding capitol of the world. We could take an hour lunch, hit  
one of those drive through chapels and be done with the whole thing within minutes."

"Wow, a whole hour for lunch ay a drive through chapel? No, no girls, I saw him first; he's  
mine." Donna spoke up to stake her claim to the women passing by.

"I just meant we could skip all the hoopla and be married by this time on Friday." Josh tried  
to smooth it over.

"Except, I want the hoopla, Joshua. I'm looking forward to the hoopla. And I promised  
Miranda she could be my flower girl." Donna pouted and Josh's head fell on her forhead.

"Fine, but when your mother, and mine, are driving you crazy with the hoopla, remember  
that I offered the romantic Vegas getaway."

"I promise I will." Donna kissed him once more before pulling away from him. "Show me  
where the candidates are waiting so I can go over a couple things with the Congressman  
before he goes on."

Josh reluctantly leads her through backroom corridors until he gets to a staging area. The  
sight that greets them makes Donna gasp and Josh groan.

Congressman Santos and Senator Vinnick are toe to toe arguing about why there haven't  
been any debates yet. The press is happily snapping pictures.

"You can't possibly be worried about debating me, Senator." Santos was baiting him. "You'  
ve been doing this way too long. So I have to wonder what you're procrastination is all  
about."

"If that's a subtle dig at my age, you're pushing the wrong button. With age comes  
experience and experience is what this country needs right now."

"Then prove it. Take a step out onto a debate stage with me a week from Sunday; 2 hours  
of exchanging ideas and visions for this country. What do you possibly have to fear from  
going mano e mano with me?"

"Nothing." Vinnick responded. "Absolutely nothing."

"Then a week from Sunday?" Matt confirmed holding out his hand to seal the agreement  
with a handshake.

"A week from Sunday." Arnie Vinnick confirmed briefly shaking Matt's hand before he  
walked briskly away, entourage in tow.

"What the hell did you just do?" Josh said quietly to Santos.

"I got us a debate." Santos grinned. "And I didn't even need a guy in a chicken suit this  
time. Damn I'm getting good at this." He took Helen's hand and walked out onto the stage  
to thunderous applause.


	5. Time to Lead Part 5

Chapter 16

"I'm sure he'll do fine in the debate." Vinick stated for the cameras. "Matt Santos is a  
capable young man."

"Too young? Is that what you're implying?" a reporter asked.

"That's for the voters to decide." Vinick sidestepped it. "These are very serious,  
complicated issues that we'll be discussing and we have very different opinions on how to  
move forward from here. I'm confident that once the voters hear those ideas debated they  
will know who is best suited to lead this country."

Santos turned the TV off with a snap of the remote. "Too young?"

"If that's the worst he can come up with, you're doing fine." Lou commented. "Ignore him  
and concentrate on debate prep. We only have five days left, thanks to you."

"Thanks to me, we have a debate." Matt corrected her. "Are you really okay with her  
talking to me like that?" he asked Josh

"Yep." Josh replied, not bothering to look up from the paper he was reading. "David!"

"It's almost finished." David shouted back from the adjoining room.

"Almost isn't going to cut it." Josh called back to him.

"Relax, Josh. I'm done for the night, anyway." Santos tells him.

"Then get some sleep, but he's not done until he finishes the ANSWER ON SOCIAL  
SECURITY THAT I ASKED FOR AN HOUR AGO!" Josh raised his voice and voices are  
silent for a minute before resuming again. "Go ahead, Congressman, we cut back on late  
night schedule so you're rested for Sunday.

Just as the Congressman exited through one door another door slammed open and  
Miranda Santos ran full to speed to Josh.

"Josh, Donna has a question." She told him. "When are we going to be in Nevada again?"

Josh smiled. Donna had been on the phone for almost an hour now with her mother and  
sister about wedding plans.

"Tell her that boat has sailed." Josh replied but Miranda looked puzzled by his response.  
"It means I'm not taking her to Nevada before Election Day."

Miranda ran back to deliver the message to her idol. Afraid he'd pay the consequences if  
he didn't do something, he picked up his cell phone and called Donna on hers. When she  
clicked over to answer she sounded annoyed.

"It took you long enough!" she answered.

"Sorry, I was doing actual, you know, work to get our guy elected President." It doesn't  
even faze Josh when she clicked back to her family to make an excuse to get off the  
phone.

"Here." David handed Josh an updated copy of the social security answer. Josh read it  
quickly.

"First, let me say this is an improvement from the last one." Josh began and David  
groaned and threw himself down on the couch across from Josh. Donna entered,  
surveyed the tableau and accurately assessed the situation.

"David, go get some sleep and we'll start fresh in the morning." She instructed him.

"Donna, it's only 9:00." Josh complained.

"Everyone is getting a little burned out. And if they're burned out, nothing is going to go  
right; including the debate five days from now." Donna reasoned. "Go get some food and  
some sleep, David. We're meeting back here at 7:30." David reluctantly followed her  
instructions. Donna took the papers out of Josh's hands.

"I'm not done, yet, Donna."

"Yes, you are. I made some plans for us tonight." She said enticingly.

"You did?" Josh looked intrigued by the idea.

"Uh-huh." Donna leaned towards him.

"I've got it, Donna. Did you tell Josh yet?" Miranda Santos, followed by her older brother  
Peter, ran into the room carrying a board game.

"Tell Josh what, Donnatella?" Josh asked suspiciously.

"Why do you call Donna, Donnatella?" Miranda inquired. Josh noticed the kid asked  
questions about everything!

"Because that's her name." Josh had found that keeping his answers short and sweet was  
one way to satisfy Miranda's curiosity. "Tell me what, Donnatella?" he repeated.

"Matt and Helen need a little alone time so I said we'd keep the kids here for awhile."  
Donna admitted.

"You just volunteered me?" Josh asked. "Can you do that without checking with me first?"

"You're absolutely right, Josh. I shouldn't have made an assumption about your  
participation. You can work in the bedroom and I'll keep the kids in here with me." Donna  
looked perfectly serious, but Josh was pretty sure there was a catch.

"It's just that I still have some work I need to get through."

"I totally understand." Donna replied and starting helping Miranda set up the game. "Go  
ahead, we'll be fine." She assured him. "Peter, can you put the popcorn in the microwave?"

Peter nodded and went to make the popcorn. Miranda was already talking to Donna a mile  
a minute and no one seemed to care if he stayed or not, so he picked up his work and  
took it into the bedroom. He spread it out across the bed and turned on CNN for  
background noise, but 20 minutes later he found he couldn't concentrate. He could hear  
Miranda giggling and smell the microwave popcorn they had made.

Peter was a quiet kid, or at least quieter than his sister, but Josh could still hear his voice  
once in awhile. Truth be told, he thought Peter might have a bit of a crush on Donna; not  
that Josh could blame him. He tried to block out the noise from the next room, but it kept  
distracting him. Resigned that he would get nothing done while the Santos children were  
in residence, he shut off his TV and walked back into the living area.

"Josh!" Miranda called out. "Can you play with us now? Are you done with your important  
stuff?"

"It looks like the important stuff is out here." He replied and Donna beamed at him. "Hey,  
you guys ate all the popcorn?"

"I can make some more." Peter volunteered.

"That would be great, thanks." Josh told him. "What are you guys playing?"

"Payday." Miranda informed him. "You can be the banker if you want." She offered.

"I could handle that." Josh replied and within minutes he was actively engaged in the game  
and munching popcorn.

"How come you always call my dad sir?" Peter asked.

"It's just…a sign of respect. Members of Congress, well at least Democratic members of  
Congress, are important people in out Government."

"Do you think he's going to win the election?" Peter pressed further.

"I hope so, Peter. I think he'd be a very good President, don't you?"

"Yeah, but if he wins we have to move to Washington, right?"

"You're family would live in the White House." Josh confirmed.

"And the Secret Service guys would be with us all the time, right?" Peter glanced over his  
shoulder at the agent just inside the door to emphasize his point.

"That's to make sure you and your family stays safe."

"Did you really get shot?" Peter asked. Miranda's head shot up and Donna looked  
concerned.

"Yes, I really did, but that was a long time ago. And the people who did that were caught  
by the police and the Secret Service."

"Did it hurt a lot?" Peter asked quietly.

"Yeah." Josh answered.

"Peter are you worried about…staying safe?" Donna intervened and Peter shrugged. "If  
you don't feel safe, you should talk to your mom or dad about it."

"Mommy doesn't like to talk about it." Miranda offered. "She yelled about all the new  
windows in our house and Daddy said it was to keep us safe and then she cried."

Josh gave Donna a 'what the hell do we do now' look and she realized he would be very  
little help.

"There are lots of changes for your whole family right now. I'm sure it's difficult to have all  
these people following you around and staying in your house, but your mom and dad still  
want to know if you feel scared." Donna tried to reassure them.

"Maybe it would be better if dad didn't win?" Miranda suggested.

"Honey, no matter what happens with the election, there are lots of people making sure  
you and your family stay safe." Donna pulled Miranda into her lap.

"Even with the agents, President Bartlet still got shot…so did you." Peter addressed Josh.

"Yeah." Josh acknowledged. He had the feeling that Peter wasn't looking for the  
assurances that his sister was. He just wanted to see if Josh would level with him. Peter  
nodded back at Josh, sat next to him, and stuck his hand into the popcorn bag.

"Hey, I thought this was mine." Josh protested.

"I made it." Peter argued and scooped up another handful.

"Oh, that's right." Josh agreed. "Then you should have some more." He said as he took  
another handful and threw it at Peter. Peter's eyes bugged out and Miranda shrieked.

"Joshua!" Donna exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Donnatella, did you want some too?" Josh pivoted and tossed a few kernels at  
her, and Miranda, since she was still seated in Donna's lap. Donna's eyes narrowed, but  
Josh just kept grinning.

"This means war." Donna declared quietly. "Get him Miranda." Donna passed her the  
other bowl of popcorn. Miranda took aim and fired.

By the time everyone ran out of ammunition, the hotel room looked like it had been the  
victim of a snowstorm with the white popcorn everywhere.

When Matt and Helen returned to retrieve their children, the first step they took into the  
room resulted in a loud crunch of popcorn under their feet. The crunching sound alerted  
Josh and Donna to their arrival.

Miranda was asleep on Donna's lap and Peter was sleeping on the floor at their feet.

"Was there some sort of incursion?" Matt asked.

"No, just the usual antics of Joshua Lyman." Donna drawled. "You should thank God he  
wasn't babysitting at your house."

Matt surveyed the room. "I guess so."

"I don't know. The kids look fine to me. Everything else can be vacuumed." Helen argued.  
She and Josh had formed a bond ever since their private chat about her role in this  
campaign. "Miranda, baby, let's go to bed." Helen crooned as she picked up her daughter  
and thanked Josh and Donna for watching the kids.

"I guess that means I get Peter." Matt took a few more crunching steps towards his son.

"Congressman." Josh waylaid him. "Peter and Miranda both mentioned something tonight  
about security. You might want to have another conversation with them."

"That was my fault. Peter saw some of the footage from Rosslyn when one of the news  
channels did a sidebar on your career in politics. He's been asking a lot of questions since  
then." Matt paused, unsure of how to continue this conversation. "I'm sorry if he said  
anything or asked anything that made you uncomfortable."

"No, it wasn't like that." Josh guaranteed him. "Both kids seemed a little nervous about all  
the security issues and I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

"I do, but thanks for mentioning it." Matt said sincerely before bending down to pick up his  
son. "Damn, this child is getting heavy. Goodnight Donna, Josh. Thanks again."

After Matt Santos had left carrying his sleeping son, Josh felt Donna come up behind him  
and wrap her arms around his waist.

"You did great with the kids tonight." Donna told him.

"Admit it. You thought I was gonna tank." Josh prodded.

"I wouldn't say 'tank'." Donna argued.

"What then? Falter? Crumble? Freeze?" Josh suggested.

"Maybe just stumble a little bit." Donna agreed. "But you didn't.

"No, I certainly did not." Josh said proudly.

"You did, however, create a huge mess." Donna noted as she looked around the room  
again.

"Yes, but that's where my genius truly lies. We check out tomorrow after breakfast and this  
whole thing is someone else's problem."

"That is genius." Donna told him and kissed his neck. "But in all seriousness, you did very  
well with the kids." Josh turned around so he could look her in the eyes. "Especially  
considering that I sort of sprung it on you."

"They're good kids." Josh remarked. "And we double teamed them pretty well."

"We did." Donna agreed. "It made me think we might want to give the whole kid thing some  
thought."

"I already have." Josh responded and Donna looked surprised. "I like the idea myself;  
especially if it involves a little girl with blond hair and blue eyes. But you know it takes a lot  
more than thought, Donna. It takes lots and lots of practice." He explained patiently.

"Do tell." She smiled.

"I could, but I think it might work better just to show you." Josh decided. He kissed her and  
began unbuttoning her blouse. "Come to bed with me Donnatella." He murmured against  
her lips.

"We could make love right here, if the place wasn't littered with popcorn." She giggled  
when his fingers tickled her side in retaliation for her remark.

"Nice. Come on then." Josh scooped her up in his arms and brought her to their bedroom  
where he unceremoniously deposited her on the bed before joining her on it.

"I love you, Donnatella." Josh said sincerely.

"Prove it." Donna challenged him.

Chapter 17

"I'm not ducking this Josh." Matt Santos said over the speakerphone to his campaign  
manager.

"I'm not asking you to, sir." Josh replied evenly. There was already too much emotion  
in this scenario. "But neither can we wade into an ongoing investigation and  
pronounce any kind of judgment. We need to proceed very carefully in these waters."

"You're just afraid of losing the 4 point bump we got from the debate." Santos  
accused him.

"That's not inconsequential." Josh agreed. "But on top of that, there is a bigger  
picture here. A young kid is dead. We need to give everyone a chance to evaluate  
the evidence and come to a reasonable conclusion before anyone else starts  
weighing in."

There is a long pause while Matt Santos rubs his face with his hands. Donna  
watched him carefully and understood the push and pull he was feeling under the  
circumstances, but she really hoped he would listen to Josh on this.

"Fine." Matt agreed. "I'll avoid Ronnie Burkes house, but I'm not canceling the rally  
on Saturday or the church speech on Sunday."

"David's been working around the clock on the speech for the church, but I'm not  
sure he's got it yet and the rally is 3 days away." Josh told them. "We might want to  
think about bringing in some help."

"I think I'd like to take a crack at it myself." Santos noted and had Donna and Lou  
exchanging concerned looks.

"Ah-kay." Josh reluctantly agreed. "But I'm going to make a couple calls and see  
what I can do at this end. Mrs. Santos and the kids will be meeting you on Friday  
night for the dinner and then the rest of the weekend events."

"Yes, I got the schedule changes. That's it for me." Matt told them and got up to walk  
to the back of the campaign bus where he could have a bit of peace and quiet.

"Josh? We may need to rethink the event on Saturday." Donna announced. "The  
atmosphere in here has gotten to toxic levels of stress. This whole Burke/Martinez  
situation is really affecting him."

"That's nothing to the stress he's going to be dealing with when he wins this, Donna.  
He needs to figure out a way to deal with it all." Josh countered. "Lou, I'm sending  
Lester out there with Mrs. Santos and the kids. See what his read is on the situation."

"And Lester's read is more accurate than mine or Donna's because…?" Lou  
questioned.

"Because he's African American, while you and Donna are most decidedly not." Josh  
explained simply.

"Well that's blatantly racist." Lou tried to pick a fight.

"I think there are enough charges of racism this week without adding your voice,  
Lou." Josh responded. "Donna, what are you getting on the ground there in terms of  
this story?"

"My phone sheet is a mile long. Everyone wants a statement of support from the  
Congressman. The trouble is; any move he makes is going to alienate him from two  
thirds of the audience he's trying to play to. It's a field of land mines."

"Right. Well depending on how things progress over the next few days, I may be  
coming out with Lester. I've got to go now. Check in with me later." Josh instructed.

"We should get the hell out of dodge and cancel the weekend events." Lou  
pronounced after Josh had hung up.

"He'll be accused of ducking the issue entirely and piss off three thirds of his  
audience." Donna replied.

"Not if he's called away on something urgent. We can issue a statement that he's  
had to change his schedule do to a…I don't know, a family emergency of some kind.  
Then we note that the Congressman has every confidence that justice will prevail  
after a thorough investigation is completed."

"Take it to Josh, Lou."

"I thought you could take it to Josh." Lou suggested.

"Josh respects your political opinion a lot more than mine, Lou." Donna drawled.

"Maybe, but he's given you a lot of responsibility on this campaign and I can't help  
thinking that he might look more favorably upon this option if you're the one to  
present it to him…under the right circumstances." Lou said matter-of-factly.

Donna took a couple breaths before she responded. She tried to remember that  
although Lou's political experience rivaled Josh's, Lou was also his equal in personal  
communication skills. "I'd like you to think about what you just said and then re-  
phrase your request in a way that doesn't make me feel like I need to shower."

Donna could literally see the wheels turn in Lou's head as she replayed the  
conversation and saw the moment when Lou saw how she had insulted Donna.

"I didn't mean that you should use your personal relationship inappropriately to  
further my agenda." Lou began but stopped going down that track when she saw the  
look of disbelief on Donna's face. "Okay, maybe I did a little bit, but it's not like I'm  
asking you to pretend to like a guy that you don't like to further my agenda."

"That really didn't sound much better, Lou, I have to tell you."

"You could just present it as one of the options next time you talk to him." Lou tried  
again. "Do you really see another way out of this situation without pissing off a lot of  
people?"

"No, not yet, but we've got a little more time before we get out there. Let's see what  
we can come up with by then." Donna ended the conversation by leaving.

Donna returned to the hotel with the Santos family after their dinner event Friday  
night and tried not to rush to the hotel room where the rest of their team was  
meeting to make decisions about the weekend events. Things had continued to  
deteriorate in the controversial Burke/Martinez situation, and Josh had flown out  
himself to get a read on the local landscape.

Donna knocked twice on the hotel room door before Edie let her into the room. Josh  
looked up as she entered and she saw a small smile reach his eyes before he  
brought his focus back to what Lester was saying.

"I think things are too hot for him to keep the rest of the weekend events." Lester  
said.

"How do we get him out of here without looking like we're running away from this?"  
Edie asked.

"Wait a second." Josh interrupted. "Just wait. We're not there yet. How did it go  
tonight?" He asked Donna. Lou sent her a warning look that Donna didn't appreciate.

"He did great. They all did." Donna said simply. "They handed out the awards,  
enjoyed the performances and looked great doing it."

"But…" Lou interjected.

"But, the Congressman got hammered by the press covering the event. All they  
asked about was Ronnie Burke." Donna admitted. "Since this was a highly  
structured, intensely scripted event, we were able to hold the vultures off until the  
Santos family left the building, but they won't have that luxury at the rally tomorrow."

"We have to cancel." Lou added when it became clear that Donna wouldn't.

"I hate to agree with Lou, but it's going to get ugly if they stay. He's still going to have  
to make a statement about the situation, but it may help to diffuse the impact if he  
makes it from somewhere other than Ronnie Burkes neighborhood." Lester threw in.

"Where is the Congressman on this after getting a lay of the land tonight?" Josh  
again directed his question to Donna.

"If you're asking me whether or not you could get him to agree to run away-" Donna  
interpreted his question.

"It is NOT running away. It is a strategic retreat." Lou insisted.

"Whatever." Donna shook her head. "He isn't sure how he wants to respond to all  
this, but there is no way he'll cancel these events…in my opinion."

Josh nodded his head. "I'm going up to speak to the Congressman. Thanks for all  
the hard work this week, people." Josh closed his notebook and walked to the door.  
"Walk with me." he told Donna as he passed her. She immediately got up and  
followed him out into the hall. They walked in silence to the elevator.

"You look tired." Donna finally broke the silence and Josh picked up her hand and  
brought it to his lips.

"I'm getting too old for this." He quipped.

"Gut feeling, Josh. Are we going to do more harm than good if we stay?"

"It's hard to get a read on the political repercussions when I don't know which side  
the Congressman is planning to come down on." He looked closely at his fiancé's  
face. "What's going on between you and Lou?"

"A difference of opinion. That's all." Donna looked away.

"Donna…"

"Don't. You have enough on your plate." Donna insisted. "People disagree on  
campaigns all the time."

"This doesn't seem professional, it seems personal."

"Since when did you become observant about personal relations?" Donna tried to  
joke her way out of it.

"I haven't. But I can read you, and you were/are personally pissed about something  
with Lou."

"Why don't we do this?" Donna suggested. "You manage the, you know, actual  
Presidential campaign, and I can take care of any personal problems that surface."

"So you're admitting there's a personal problem?" Josh inquired as they reached the  
Congressman's hotel room door.

"I'm admitting that I can handle any personal problems on my own. Go talk to the  
Congressman." Josh hesitated a moment since the Secret Service was stationed  
outside the door, but desire won out and he stole a quick and passionate kiss before  
he entered the Congressman's suite. "I'll be waiting up for you." She promised.

The rally occupied 4 city blocks and although the place was swarming with security,  
Josh couldn't erase the anxious feeling in his gut. He decided to accompany the  
Santos family to the rally himself, sending Donna and Lester to the church they were  
scheduled to appear at the next day to finalize the schedule there.

"Why are those people yelling at us?" Miranda asked Josh while they walked behind  
her parents and brother.

"They want your Dad to say that a police officer did something wrong." Josh tried to  
explain.

"Did he?" Josh laughed at the simplicity of the question and the complexity of the  
answer.

"We don't know yet. You Dad wants to wait until we know for sure before he says  
anything about the police officer."

Miranda looked again at the group of African American's holding signs and shouting.  
"Are we going to know soon?"

"I certainly hope so kiddo." Josh said fervently. He didn't expect Miranda, at age 8, to  
differentiate between the groups of shouting protestors, but he could clearly see the  
Latino groups edging closer to the African American groups both wanting Santos to  
denounce the others.

Miranda pulled on Josh's hand and he stopped walking for a second to bend closer  
so he could hear what she was saying over the shouts and cheering.

"What Miranda?"

"I don't want to go there." Miranda repeated in his ear. "It's too loud and they look  
really mad." She pointed to a group across the street. Josh caught just a glimpse  
before all hell broke loose. There were several popping sounds and Josh found  
himself on the ground covering Miranda while Secret Service covered both of them.  
His heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest and Miranda was  
screaming.

"Move, move!" the agent closest to him screamed while he and two other agents  
tried to pick up Josh and Miranda. Josh ended up with Miranda in his arms running in  
the direction the agent pointed in. Moments later, they were pushed into a van that  
went careening around the corner and sped away from the rally. Miranda was  
sobbing and calling for her Mom.

"Where's Mrs. Santos?" Josh demanded while he held Miranda tightly to his chest  
and rubbed her back in a futile attempt to calm her.

"They're in the van in front of us." He answered.

"Why isn't SHE in the van in front of us?" Josh indicated Miranda.

"We fell too far behind them. We got everyone out as quickly as possible."

"Can we call Mrs. Santos? Let Miranda talk to her?"

"Not until we have everyone secure back at the hotel." The agent responded.

"But everyone in the van in front of us is fine…right?" Josh asked urgently.

"I believe so."

"Let's confirm that little bit of information shall we?" Josh suggested forcefully. The  
agent got on his wrist unit and exchanged information with his counterparts in the  
other van.

"Miranda…Miranda, listen to me. The agents are talking to your Mom and Dad right  
now. We'll be with them in just a couple minutes. Everything's okay."

"No. it's. not." She wheezed out between sobs. Josh found it hard to argue with her.  
Then his cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. The agent next to him  
prevented Josh from answering it.

"No unsecured communications until we're back at the hotel." He ordered. Josh was  
double frustrated when he saw it was Donna calling. He was about to argue with the  
agent when the agent simply removed the phone from Josh's hand. Since Josh  
figured there was no way he could forcibly retrieve his phone from a trained Secret  
Service agent he decided to expend his energy trying to calm Miranda down. She  
was still calling for her Mom and it was breaking Josh's heart.

He knew first hand what it was like to be panic stricken at that young age, to be  
scared for the safety of your family while being physically cut off from them. He  
pushed his own emotional trip down memory lane aside and started talking quietly to  
Miranda.

"Miranda, everybody's fine, I promise." Josh's eyes met the agent's and he nodded a  
confirmation that what Josh was telling her was the truth. "We'll be back at the hotel  
in just few more minutes and your Mom and Dad and Peter, will all be waiting for us."

"I want Mommy now!" Miranda insisted.

"I know how you feel kiddo." Josh heard his distinctive ring tone coming from the  
agent's pocket and blew out a frustrated breath. Donna was going to be freaking out  
pretty good by now. "Hey Miranda. What's that game you're always playing with  
Donna?"

Miranda sniffed as she processed Josh's question. "You mean 20 questions?"

"Yeah, that's it. You think you can stump me on 20 questions?" Josh challenged her.

"I don't want to play 20 questions." Miranda cried.

"I bet I can beat you at 20 questions before we get back to the hotel."

"You suck at 20 questions, Josh." Miranda pointed out. The child had a point. Josh  
hated the game, and whenever Donna suckered him into playing with them, he'd  
purposely ask idiotic questions until they ejected him from the game.

"Does that mean you're too chicken to bet?" Josh threw down the gauntlet. Miranda  
shook her head. "Okay, then, is it person, place, or thing?"

Miranda took another breath and wiped her eyes with the heels of her hand. "Place."  
She answered quietly. Josh smiled for the first time and hoped he could keep her  
distracted until she could reunite with her family.

"It is in the United States?" Josh asked and Miranda nodded, ticking up a finger to  
keep count of his questions. "Is it Disneyworld?" he asked next and Miranda rolled  
her eyes.

"You can't guess the place on the second question. You have to ask more questions  
first."

"I can guess on the second question if I want to; I know the rules." Josh responded.

"Fine, but you just wasted your question." She answered him and it reminded him so  
much of Donna, he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. When she looked at  
him puzzled, he just smiled and asked another question.

"Is it the White House?" was his next guess.

"You really suck at this you know." Miranda shook her head and ticked up a third  
finger.

They were on question number 18 when they pulled into the underground parking  
lot beneath the hotel they were staying in. As soon as the door swung open Helen  
Santos descended on them and plucked Miranda right off Josh's lap. Matt was right  
behind her holding Peter's hand. The young boy looked pretty shook as well.

"Baby, are you okay?" Helen did a visual inspection of her daughter as she ran her  
hands over her child checking for injuries.

"I'm okay Mommy." Miranda assured her. "Why did you leave without me?"

Helen burst into tears. "We though you were with us until the van door closed  
sweetie. I never wanted to leave without you, I swear. They told us you were safe  
with Josh right behind us."

"Ma'am, we really need to get everyone back upstairs." The agent began physically  
moving the Santos family toward the secured elevators. Josh following along. "Mr.  
Lyman, we're going to have to cancel the rest of today's schedule until we get some  
answers about the incident today."

Josh nodded his understanding, but said nothing at all while they were hustled  
upstairs. When they got to their floor, the Santos family was whisked into their suite.  
Josh proceeded to his room and actually got this key card to work on the first try.  
Once inside, he stood with his back against the wall until he felt his knees start to  
buckle. Then he simply slid to the floor and put his head in his hands.

That's exactly how Donna found him when she entered their room 10 minutes later.  
Once she arrived at their floor, one of the agents on duty had confirmed that  
everyone was safe and unharmed, but Donna knew that not all injuries could be  
visually detected.

She knew he had heard her enter, but he didn't look up at her.

"The Secret Service confiscated my phone until we got back here." He told her, still  
not looking at her. "I'm sorry I couldn't answer when you called."

Donna sat next to him on the floor against the wall. "So…how was your day?" she  
asked facetiously and got a chuckle out of her fiancé.

"Miranda and I fell behind the rest of your family a bit. She was asking me questions  
and we…we just fell behind. By the time we got up and moving again, Matt, Helen,  
and Peter were already in the first van leaving the site. We got thrown into the  
second one and Miranda just sobbed for her Mom."

"Oh, Josh." Donna sighed and her head went back until it made contact with the wall.

"I don't know who was more freaked out at the at point, me or Miranda." He admitted  
and finally looked Donna in the face. "I can't begin to tell you..." he broke off as the  
emotions choked off his words.

Donna took his face in her hands and kissed him like a mother kisses a child when  
they're hurt. Then she took his hand and led him to the bed. She sat him on the  
edge of the mattress and removed his shoes and jacket. She joined him on the bed  
pulled him down to lie next to her and placed his head on her stomach. She slowly  
stroked his hair while she spoke to him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." She told him. "It hurts me to think you were going through  
all that alone."

"I wasn't alone…I had Miranda." Josh noted and Donna smiled.

"Still; I wish I had been with you." Donna maintained. "They've cancelled the rest of  
the day."

"Yeah." Josh confirmed. "We'll be staying put for a little while."

"Good. You're going to rest awhile and then you're going to call Stanley Keyworth."  
Donna informed him.

"I don't need to call Stanley, Donna. I wasn't hurt. No one I was with was hurt." Josh  
explained. "I just need a little time to convince my nervous system of that."

"And you'll have it…and then you'll call Stanley." Donna repeated. "That's not open  
for debate."

Josh didn't respond he just blew out a breath. He wasn't up to fighting about it at this  
point. "Miranda was crying for her Mom and all I could think about was getting to  
you."

"Me too." Donna admitted. "But I don't think that's all you were thinking about."

"It was mostly what I was thinking about." Josh corrected.

"Rosslyn didn't figure into your thought process?" Donna pushed.

"Honestly? No." Josh told her and Donna stopped stroking his hair.

"What then?"

"I was thinking how I was Miranda's age when Joanie died. I was thinking that I knew  
how it felt to be scared and alone, just wanting your mom." Donna tried to hold back  
the tears his words evoked but they silently slid down her face. She couldn't find her  
voice for a couple minutes.

"Miranda was lucky to have you." Donna finally spoke. Josh must have heard the  
tears in your voice because he turned his head to face her. He wiped the tears off  
her face with his fingers.

"Don't cry Donnatella." He told her. "I can't take it if you start crying for me."

"Not you. You I can comfort and help. I'm crying for the little 8 year old boy who was  
alone and scared." That brought tears to Josh's eyes. "You'll call Stanley, Josh."

"Yeah…I'll call Stanley." Josh promised and gathered Donna in his arms so they  
could comfort each other.


	6. Time to Lead Part 6

Helen Santos was a wreck. She had argued with Matt until after 2 in the morning.  
She had stayed up long past 2 because she was unable to sleep once Matt closed  
the debate. He had argued, debated, and reasoned, but Helen was having none of  
it. She wanted her family out of this town and back in Houston where they could have  
some semblance of normalcy for a few days.

Finally, Matt simply told her he was going to go ahead with his speech at the church  
and she could wait at the hotel with the kids while he went, but he WAS going. Helen  
slammed the bedroom door and sat up in the living area for hours afterward.

The Secret Service had determined that the shots fired came from one Latino man  
who had fired in the air to warn off some members of the African American  
contingent that he felt were becoming physically threatening. The man was under  
arrest, and the Secret Service were convinced that the shots fired were not intended  
to hit anyone, let alone the Democratic nominee for President. Still, Helen just  
wanted to take her family home. Surely this incident was proof enough that tempers  
were running too high for Matt to wade out in these waters.

If he insisted on going to the church, he was going to have to go alone. She wasn't  
going to leave her children alone with the sitter they had hired to travel with them.  
Not after yesterday.

But at 10:25, just minutes before he was scheduled to leave for the church, Helen  
Santos appeared dressed and ready to go with him.

"You're coming with me?" Matt inquired.

"It looks that way." Helen replied and grabbed her purse; exiting the room behind the  
Secret Service without another word.

Josh and Donna exchanged concerned glances but followed behind the Santos  
couple. Josh was pretty tired himself; Helen Santos wasn't the only one who didn't  
get much sleep the night before. The four of them rode together to the church but  
not a word was spoken until they were pulling up to the church.

Josh handed the Congressman the most recent copy of the speech that David, in  
conjunction with a little help from Sam Seaborn, had come up with. Matt just handed  
it back to him without even looking at it.

"I know what I want to say." He said simply and got out of the limo. Helen paused  
before she got out of the car and looked over at Josh. She had been so wrapped up  
in the effects of the incident yesterday on her family, she had completely forgotten  
that Josh may very well be dealing with some after effects himself.

"I realized this morning, that much to my shame, I never thanked you for all you did  
for Miranda yesterday."

"Mrs. Santos-" Donna began.

"No. I was, understandably, distracted when we got back to the hotel, but later, after I  
got Miranda to sleep, I should have come and talked to you; thanked you. Miranda  
told me how you held her and tried to distract her by asking stupid questions during  
your 20 questions game. It meant the world to me that someone was with her who  
cared about her and tried to comfort her when she was alone and frightened. Thank  
you." Helen kissed his cheek and followed her husband into the church.

Donna took Josh's hand and went to stand in the back of the church to listen to  
Congressman Santos speak.

"Good morning. My prayers are with Ronnie Burke's family today. I know yours are  
too. My prayers are with Officer Rafael Martinez and his family. They are not  
struggling with the loss of a child, but they are struggling with a terrible truth. My  
prayers are with those families and with this one.

"You know, I find myself on days like this casting about for someone to blame. I  
blame the kid, he stole a car. I blame the parents. Why couldn't they teach him  
better. I blame the cop, did he need to fire. I blame every one I can think of and I am  
filled with rage. And then I try and find compassion. Compassion for the people I  
blame. Compassion for the people I do not understand, compassion. It doesn't  
always work so well. I remember as a young man listening on the radio to Dr. King in  
1968. He asked of us compassion, and we responded, not necessarily because we  
felt it but because he convinced us that if we could find compassion, if we could  
express compassion, that if we could just pretend compassion, it would heal us so  
much more than vengeance could. And he was right: it did but not enough. What  
we've learned this week is that more compassion is required of us and an even  
greater effort is required of us. And we are all, I think everyone of us, tired.

"We're tired of understanding, we're tired of waiting, we're tired of trying to figure out  
why our children are not safe and why our efforts to to make them safe seem to fail.  
We're tired. But we must know that we have made some progress and blame will only  
destroy it. Blame will breed more violence and we have had enough of that.

"Blame will not rid our streets of crime and drugs and fear and we have had enough  
of that. Blame will not strengthen our schools or our families or our workforce. Blame  
will rob us of those things and we have had enough of that. And so I ask you today  
to dig down deep with me and find that compassion in your hearts. Because it will  
keep us on the road. And we will walk together and work together. And slowly, slowly,  
too slowly, things will get better. God bless you. God bless you and God bless your  
children."

The Congregation rose to its' feet when the Congressman finished his speech and  
he shook many hands on his walk back down the aisle.

"That's why we're here, Joshua." Donna told him. "That's the man who should be the  
next President." Josh nodded his agreement but kept his eye on Matt and Helen  
Santos. There had been a lot of tension between them this morning.

The sight that lessoned his concern was when he saw Helen reach for her husband'  
s hand while they walked out of the church side by side.

Chapter 19

"I don't feel like I've got your complete attention, Josh."

"Why is that Stanley?" Josh asked as he flicked through the cable news channels.  
He was careful to keep the sound on mute, but with the news scrawl he could keep  
up on the headlines without missing a beat.

"Probably because you're busy doing something else like looking over a report or  
flipping through television channels." He commented and Josh froze mid-flip. That  
was seriously freaky.

"Don't be ridiculous." Josh retorted but turned away from the TV just to be safe.

"How are things going?" Stanley asked again.

"Good. Fine. We're within the margin of error with Vinick, but we can't seem to push  
past that point." Josh complained.

"Well, that's disappointing, I'm sure, but I was talking about how things are going for  
you personally." Stanley drawled.

"Better." Josh replied succinctly.

"Why is it that for any other question you can give me 10 minute answer that  
includes some vocabulary I'm unfamiliar with, but the second I ask about your  
personal issues, I get a one word response?"

"I don't know Stanley, but you'd think that was the kind of thing a psychologist could  
figure out. Damn." Josh involuntarily exclaimed when he turned back toward the TV  
and saw a California newspaper was endorsing Vinick.

"What was that?" Stanley questioned.

"Uh…nothing…I just hit my foot on something while I was pacing around the room."

"Then stop pacing at sit down." Stanley advised him. "Donna tells me you haven't  
been getting much sleep lately."

"We're in the final weeks of a Presidential campaign, Stanley, nobody has been  
getting much sleep lately." Josh tells him, but plops down in a chair as instructed.

"True, but she tells me you're not even trying to get sleep when you can. Aren't you  
afraid that's going to affect your decision making as you go into the final stretch?"

"Jesus, does she have to tell you everything? Isn't there some kind of confidentiality  
clause or something?"

"Between you and me, yes, between Donna and me? Not so much. Why aren't you  
sleeping Josh?"

"You know why I'm not sleeping Stanley. Sleep deprivation may affect some of my  
decision making skills, but a nightmare induced psychotic episode will seriously put a  
damper on things."

"Josh, you are not now, nor have you ever been psychotic. Believe me, I'm an expert  
in this area."

"Well, I'd rather not have any evidence to the contrary at this point in the election  
cycle."

"Who would know about the nightmares besides Donna?" Stanley asked.

"Ummm….you." Josh noted. "Then anyone who heard Donna talking to you about it  
or you talking to me about it."

"I think you're way too smart to use such a shitty cop out." Stanley told him. "What  
you're really concerned about is what is going to happen to you if you think too  
much about what happened at the rally."

"Nothing happened at the rally. We're all fine; nobody was hurt."

"Maybe you weren't affected physically, although I wouldn't put any money on that,  
but you were undoubtedly affected emotionally. Are you going to try to bullshit your  
way out of that?"

"No." Josh answered in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "I don't think I can go  
there right now; delve into all of that. There's too much riding on this campaign and  
on me. I can't afford to have some sort of mental breakdown."

"Ironically, it is by talking to a mental health professional that helps to avoid mental  
and emotional breakdowns." Stanley waited for a reply and when none was  
forthcoming, he decided to push a little more. Doing therapy over the phone had  
distinct disadvantages. He couldn't see Josh so he was unable to tell if Josh was  
stonewalling him or just lost in thought about something they were discussing. "Have  
you and Donna picked a wedding date yet?"

"Whoa, that was a bit of a conversational jump Stanley.' Josh chuckled.

"Not really. The last time you were going through something like this, you were  
alone. If and when you had a nightmare or a PTSD episode, you could hide it pretty  
easily."

"Not from Donna." Josh corrected him. "She knew something was wrong before I did."

"Yeah, and that was from a distance. Now she's living with you, sleeping with you; I  
don't imagine there's any privacy, especially working a national campaign."

"What's your point?" Josh asked wearily.

"My point is, that if you trust Donna enough to marry her, you should trust her  
enough to let her see what you're going through. So I was just wondering if you had  
set a date."

"We're a little busy trying to get a man elected President over here."

"I wasn't implying that you should get married before Election Day, Josh, but picking  
a date might make you feel a little more secure in your relationship with Donna."

"I'm already secure in my relationship with Donna. She's the one who keeps putting  
off setting a date."

"Really…"

"Yes, really. So much for your theory that 'Josh is afraid to make a commitment'."

"I never said I thought you were afraid to make a commitment. I think you're eager to  
make a commitment. But I also think you're worried that Donna isn't." Stanley argued.

"That's complete bullshit." Josh sat up straighter and his voice got a little louder.  
"She's always on the phone with somebody or other about wedding plans."

"And yet, she never agrees to set a date."

"She wants to wait until after the election to do that." Josh's defense sounded weak  
even to his own ears. "So what?"

"So somebody could read all kinds of things into that. Then when you throw in the  
complications from PTSD, one could even be concerned that confronted with the  
evidence of a lifetime of dealing with this issue, someone might change their mind  
about setting a date at all."

"Go to hell, Stanley." Josh said intently into the phone.

"That's what you're really afraid of isn't it, Josh? That if Donna sees how damaged  
you are she won't want to marry you anymore. And now, after all these years of  
waiting, of resisting temptation, she's finally with you in every way a woman can be  
and all you can think about is what will happen to you if she changes her mind."

"Why are you doing this?" Josh whispered carefully into the phone.

"Until you can verbalize what it is that's scaring you, you can't do anything about it."  
Stanley told him, losing patience with Josh's stubbornness.

"People with guns scare me, Stanley." Josh replied.

"No, Josh, it's the nightmares and the anxiety attacks from the people with guns that  
scare you." Stanley corrected him. "You need to talk to me and you need to talk to  
Donna, or I swear that you will be helpless to do anything except push her out of  
your life."

Stanley's prediction sent chills down Josh's spine, but there was no way he was  
going to let Donna see how weak and powerless the PTSD made him.

"Josh, tell me about the nightmares. Let's start there."

"I…I can't right now. I have to go." Josh lied and Stanley was having none of it.

"Donna said she cleared your schedule for an hour." Stanley reminded him.

"Regardless of what you both think Donna doesn't know everything. I have to go."  
Josh shouted at Stanley right before he hung up the phone with a snap. He was in  
desperate need of a drink, Josh decided, and went out into the living room of the  
hotel suite he shared with Donna to retrieve a drink from the mini-bar. He was  
startled when he saw Donna lying on the couch reading some reports. She looked  
just as startled to see him.

"Are you done with Stanley already?" Donna asked. "He told me to clear an hour for  
him."

"He had an emergency." Josh lied no better to Donna than he had to Stanley. He  
tried to avoid eye contact with her as he got a beer from the mini-bar and kept his  
back to her while he popped the top and took a long swallow.

"Josh?" Donna had moved up to a sitting position on the couch. He answered her  
without turning around.

"I'd like you to go to Oregon with Helen tomorrow. She may need your help preparing  
for the speech and the Q & A there. They just passed the universal health care bill  
for all residents under 5 and it's going to bring up a lot of the Congressman's  
initiatives."

"But that's a three day swing." Donna noted. "I thought you wanted me here to prep  
Leo for his debate?"

"Leo's got me and he's got Lou. We'll be fine." Josh responded. He'd turned around  
to face her direction but he still wasn't looking at her.

"Helen has given that speech a thousand times and-"

"Would you stop debating me and just do what I ask you to do for once?!" Josh  
exploded.

Donna blinked in surprise at his harsh tone and waited for him to realize the line he'd  
just crossed and apologize, but he just continued drinking.

"Josh. Would you like to talk about your conversation with Stanley?" Donna offered  
quietly.

"What I'd like is for you to do your job and stay the hell out of my head." Josh said as  
he walked to the door and slammed it behind him as he left the suite. Donna sat  
stunned by his outburst. She was tempted to call Stanley herself, but she was afraid  
Josh would just take that as another betrayal.

When Josh returned to their room around 7 am, Donna and her things were gone.  
He felt sick and relieved all at the same time. He didn't have to be at their strategy  
meeting for another 2 hours, so he decided to take a nap until then. He stripped off  
his clothes and after requesting a wake up call for 8:45, he slid into bed and fell into  
an exhausted sleep. The nightmare came just as he expected it would and when he  
woke with his heart pounding in his chest, struggling to get air into his lungs, he was  
at least grateful for the fact that he was alone.

****************************  
Helen watched Donna carefully for the first hour of the flight. Donna's head was  
bobbing as she struggled to stay awake. She looked absolutely exhausted, but  
beyond that she looked incredibly sad.

Helen waffled back and forth for awhile over whether or not to approach their  
campaign spokesperson. Finally she sat down next to Donna and handed her a cup  
of coffee.

"You look like you could use some of that." Helen smiled at her.

"I don't know…does it have any whiskey in it?" Donna tried to joke, but it came up  
flat.

"I don't think we should start the whiskey before the luncheon." Helen opined. "Josh  
would certainly have both our heads on a pike if he found out."

Donna gave a half-smile in response and Helen's antenna went all the way up.

"Donna, are you okay?" Helen asked quietly.

"Sure…" Donna sipped some of her coffee, but couldn't keep her smile in place. Her  
lips quivered and her eyes filled. Helen leaned closer and put her arm on Donna's.

"What's wrong?" Helen inquired.

"Josh is…there's something wrong with Josh and he won't talk to me about it." Donna  
admitted. "He doesn't want me asking him about it either. That's why he sent me on  
this swing with you. He doesn't want even want me near him." A couple tears slipped  
down her face.

"I know that's not true." Helen said adamantly. "I can't pretend to understand Josh  
Lyman all the time, but I do know that man adores you." That statement just made  
Donna cry more. "Donna, what can I do?"

"Nothing. Neither of us can do anything." Donna told her. "We'll just get through this  
swing and hope he's been able to sort a few things out by the time we get back."

"Well I, for one, am very glad your plans changed." Helen explained. "We haven't  
had enough time on the road together lately. I've been stuck with either Lester or  
Lou and neither one of them seems to have an appreciation for the Sisterhood."

That got a smile out of Donna. "You know, you may be right. I think it's time to  
remind everyone that women make up the majority of the electorate."

Chapter 20

"The AP is reporting that Mrs. Santos called for birth control to be covered by health  
care plans." Ronna hesitantly told Josh when she interrupted Leo's debate prep. Josh  
made no response. Ronna exchanged glances with Leo, who shrugged. "She said if the  
Republicans are serious about reducing abortions, they should join with the  
Congressman in demanding that birth control be covered by health insurance."

Still no response from Josh.

"Maybe we should throw something into the Congressman's next stump, just to clarify  
things." Lou suggested.

"Don't worry about it." Josh finally spoke up. Nobody replied. "It's just a little love note  
from Donna. Don't worry about it. Annabeth, I want Otto playing Sullivan for our next run  
through."

"I'll take care of it." Annabeth promised.

"David, let's come up with another answer on the school vouchers." Josh instructed.

"What's wrong with the answer we've got?" David inquired.

"I could say that it sounded moronic, but I don't want to hurt your feelings, so let's just  
say it missed the mark." Josh told him.

"Oh-Kay." David got up and left the room. Annabeth gave Josh a dirty look.

"What? I re-phrased it." Josh defended himself.

"It doesn't help much when you re-phrase it out loud instead of in your head." Lou  
noted. Josh's temper had been at record proportions the last two days and few had the  
courage to call him on it. Lou, however, was one of them.

"He's a big boy." Josh maintained. "That's all people. Everyone back here at 3 for a final  
run through." The room emptied except for Leo and Josh.

"Donna's sending you love notes through the AP?" Leo asked.

"We've never been a traditional couple." Josh answered without looking at Leo.

"Truer words were never spoken. Still…I can't help but notice you've been a little more  
on edge than is typical for you at this point in a campaign. I'm hoping that's not entirely  
due to my lackluster performance in these debate practices."

"You're doing fine." Josh lied smoothly. "This is all new for you, which is why we do this  
prep."

"Very nice piece of misdirection, son, but why don't you tell me why Donna is  
communicating with you through AP and Stanley hasn't been able to get in touch with  
you for the last few days."

"I've been a little busy, in case you haven't noticed, and what the hell is Stanley doing  
calling you anyway?" Josh demanded.

"He was a little concerned when you refused to answer or return any of his calls. He  
called me to find out if you were unconscious or something."

"Not yet." Josh quipped.

"You need to call Stanley back, Josh. In fact now would be a good time." Leo suggested.

"Maybe you haven't noticed but I don't work for you anymore Leo. You can't order me to  
call Stanley or do anything else." Josh told him forcefully and Leo was surprised by the  
anger he saw in Josh's eyes. Leo felt the pain of Josh's jab stab him right in the heart.

"You think this is about work?" Leo asked, the hurt he felt evident in his voice.

"I think that my communication with Stanley and Donna is none of your business." Josh  
replied.

Leo blinked. "This is why you sent Donna on the swing with Helen. You're pushing her  
away too, aren't you? Did you suffer some blow to the head that is impairing your  
cognitive functions?"

"Don't talk to me like that, you're not my father." Leo doubted Josh could have said  
anything designed to hurt him more.

"That's really too bad since you could use one right now who could kick your ass for  
treating the woman you love like shit." Leo opined. "But as you say, that's your personal  
screw up and none of my business. What is my business is how you're running this  
campaign and treating our staff. You'd better straighten up soon, or I swear to God,  
Joshua, Matt Santos and I will bench you." Leo threatened before he left Josh alone.

When the team re-convened at 3 for the final run through before the debate that night,  
Leo was all business and didn't look at or talk to Josh at all. The run through went as  
well as could be expected but Leo was still shaky. On top of that, someone was leaking  
details of Leo's less than stellar performance to the press and Josh was on a rampage  
about it.

Leo finally called an end to the whole deal, claiming he needed food and some down  
time before the debate started. The room emptied out completely leaving Josh in a  
solitary confinement of his own making. He was thinking about going back to his hotel  
room but Donna was returning shortly and he didn't want to deal with that before the  
debate. So he stayed and worked in the conference room, skipping dinner and ignoring  
anyone who came by.

At 6:00, just 60 minutes before the debate was due to begin. There was a knock on the  
conference room door.

"Josh Lyman?" a young voice asked.

"Yeah, what do you need?"

"I have a delivery for you." The young man told him and began to unpack cartons of  
food. Josh opened them to find a burnt hamburger, fries, and a salad.

"Thanks." Josh said quietly and handed the kid a tip. It looked like Donna was back.

"Donna!" Annabeth exclaimed when she opened her hotel room door. "You're back. You  
and Helen have done a great job the last few days." Annabeth looked curiously at the  
luggage Donna was toting behind her. "Did you get locked out of your room?"

"Not exactly." Donna fidgeted nervously. "Would it be okay if I stayed here tonight,  
Annabeth?"

"Of course." She agreed without any hesitation. "Is everything okay, Donna? Never  
mind, of course everything isn't okay or you wouldn't be bunking with me. Can I do  
anything?"

"No, but thanks. I need to work some things out with Josh, but I don't want to disturb him  
before the debate. He's going to have to do spin and respond to press…"

"I get it." Annabeth assured her. "But aren't you coming down to the auditorium too?"

"It's kind of in my job description, so yes, but I wish I would skip it." Donna admitted.

"Leo did a little better in our last run through." Annabeth grinned. "However, that's not  
saying much."

"Annabeth!"

"Donna, I adore the man, you know I do, but seriously…I'm concerned about tonight."

"Why don't we ignore the last part of that statement and concentrate on this first. I  
couldn't help but notice there seems to be an electric current in the air between you and  
our Vice-Presidential candidate." Now it was Donna's turn to grin.

Annabeth tilted her head. "You don't think it's a bad idea? Leo is always going on about  
our difference in age."

"I think that although it would be nice, we don't get to choose who we fall in love with."  
Donna offered. "I think if you're lucky enough to find that with someone, you shouldn't  
give it up over the small stuff."

"Are you taking your own advice, Dr. Donna?"

"Unfortunately, the stuff with Josh isn't small stuff. So I need to be cautious about how  
and when I proceed, but I have no intention of giving it up."

Annabeth nodded, pleased with Donna's answer. "Then let's get changed and head to  
the auditorium. We may have a long night ahead of us."

The debate was terrific; Leo had been lowering expectations all along it seemed. Donna  
and Annabeth exchanged happy grins as it concluded and they, along with the rest of  
the staff, gathered around Josh for their marching orders.

"Looks like Leo messed with all of us this week." He noted. "He gave us plenty to work  
with so go out and sell it. The numbers are telling us that health care and education  
were the topics to hit tonight, so please emphasize the details of the Santos Health and  
education plans. I'm on my cell if anyone needs me."

Josh watched as Donna walked away without a word to him. He couldn't really discuss  
anything with her now, anyway, but he would have liked to have at least had a word or  
two with her. It couldn't be helped; he guessed and turned to face the reporters coming  
his way. They'd have time and privacy to talk tonight in their hotel room after the post  
debate spin.

Josh hadn't seen Donna in almost an hour by the time he finished up at the debate site.  
He figured she'd gone back to the hotel with some of the others. When he entered their  
rooms it was eerily quiet. Maybe she went out for drinks with the gang or something.  
Though it hurt that he hadn't been included in their plans, he didn't really blame them  
for excluding him given the way he'd been acting lately.

He settled down on the couch determined to wait up for her until she returned and  
turned on the TV to catch some late night election coverage. The next thing he knew,  
he woke up from dozing to see that it was after 3 AM. First, he felt a trickle of alarm that  
Donna wasn't back yet. Then a though occurred to him. He went back to their bedroom  
and saw none of her stuff. Even if she went out with everyone after the debate, she  
would have first dropped off her luggage and stuff, yet none of it was present. Donna  
wasn't coming back here after all, it seemed.

Josh threw himself down on the bed and fell into a restless sleep. He thought he was still  
dreaming when he heard her call his name.

"Josh? Josh, wake up."

"Donna? You came back." In his half conscious state, he moved automatically to touch  
her face with his hand. "What time is it?"

"A little after 5. You have to get up. There's been a nuclear accident at a power plant in  
San Andreo California." Donna said urgently. "The Congressman wants everyone in his  
suite right away."

Without another word, she turned and left him looking after her.

Chapter 21

"I say we go completely dark. Let the press go after Vinick on their own." Josh  
suggested.

"I'm fine doing nothing on this issue." Santos replied.

"I mean nothing on any issue... We just stay right here." Josh countered and Donna  
could see the wheels turning in the Congressman's head. Because she had some  
discussions with Helen, she knew Matt was concerned about Josh's state of mind. Now,  
she imagined, Matt was trying to decide if Josh was brilliant or insane.

"Okay, we go dark." Matt agreed and several members of the staff left to cancel  
engagements and inform the press of their change in plans.

Donna risked a look at Josh. His eyes were heavy lidded and had dark circles  
underneath them. She resisted the urge to go to him. It would have to wait until they had  
a moment alone. Matt Santos turned up the television as news clips of Vinick touting  
nuclear energy during the debate were being played over and over.

Tracy, the sitter who traveled with the Santos family, came in. "Mrs. Santos, Miranda  
woke up crying again. Can you come?"

"Of course." Helen hurried out of the room. Donna knew, because she'd been traveling  
with Helen and the kids, that Josh wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping, but she  
could see the look of concern that crossed Josh's face at the thought that Miranda was  
suffering.

"Congressman, is Miranda…has she been having…is she alright?" Josh asked.

"She's been having bad dreams since the shooting. She seems okay during the day,  
but something happens at night." Matt told Josh who really needed no explanation of  
how that could happen.

Donna couldn't watch the interaction. She went over to the laptop set up on the table  
and began a search.

Two hours later, she was standing in front of Matt and Josh holding the valuable  
information she'd uncovered.

"Vinick pushed the licensing commission to get San Andreo up and running 25 years  
ago." She told them and handed the paper to Josh who shared it with Matt. They read it  
twice before looking back up at Donna. Matt handed it back to her.

"Hide it under a mattress." He instructed her before turning to Josh. "We are not leaking  
that."

"I'm fine with that for now, but there may come a time we need to help the story along,  
sir."

Matt indicated the television that was doing nothing but covering San Andrea and Vinick'  
s statements about nuclear power over the years. "I think the story is getting along just  
fine without us. You were the one who convinced me we can't appear to be making  
political capital out of this."

"Again, there may come a time-"

"No." The Congressman repeated, then made eye contact with Donna to be sure  
everyone understood his intentions. She nodded her comprehension.

Various staffers had been coming in and out of the Santos suite for hours without giving  
even a cursory knock on the door, so it surprised Josh when he heard several loud raps  
on the door to the suite. Puzzled, he walked over and opened the door to none other  
than Stanley Keyworth.

Stanley walked in without invitation, merely nodding his head toward Joshua. Josh  
turned an accusatory glance at Donna.

"What the hell did you do?" he demanded.

"I made a phone call, Joshua; at the request of the Congressman, to-"

"Then the CONGRESSMAN can damn well meet with him." Josh exploded. "I'm busy  
running a Presidential campaign right now."

"Doesn't look like you're doing much at all, actually." Stanley interjected.

"We're not." Matt agreed. "We've decided to stay dark today, maybe tomorrow too  
depending on how this plays out. However, I-"

Matt was interrupted by the arrival of Helen Santos.

"Dr. Keyworth?" she guessed. "Thank you so much for taking the time. When Donna  
told me how good you were and that you were relatively close by, I took advantage of  
the relationship you have with her and asked her to call in a favor for Miranda."

"It's not a problem, Mrs. Santos. That's what we do at ATVA." Stanley responded.

"Helen, please. I just wanted to be sure that you know how much Matt and I appreciate  
the trip you made out here. Where do you think it would be best to talk to Miranda?"

"Anyplace that she feels comfortable, Helen, would be fine."

"Tracy is going to take Peter down to swim for a bit, so you could use the kids' room."  
Helen suggested. "Did you want to speak to her alone, or should one of us be with her?"

"I'd like you to stay until she gets to know me a bit, then I'll send you on an errand."

"Then you'll meet with us and let us know how it went?" Matt inquired.

"Absolutely, Congressman." Dr. Keyworth assured them both.

"Come right this way and I'll introduce you to Miranda." Helen gestured the direction and  
Stanley followed behind her. As he passed an open mouthed Josh, he quietly said,  
"Some people are actually glad to see me." and cracked a small smile before  
disappearing into the kids' bedroom with Helen.

Josh pivoted back to Donna, mindless of their audience. "You called Stanley for  
Miranda?"

"People involved in traumatic events frequently need help." Donna let that set in a  
moment before she continued. "When Helen asked my advice about what they could do  
for Miranda, I suggested calling Stanley at ATVA."

"Since we're sitting here, just a couple hours from his office, it seemed like the perfect  
opportunity to set something up." Matt added.

"Yeah, he's…he's very good." Josh noted.

"He certainly is." Donna agreed with a pointed look at Josh before she too, left the room.

"You need to go talk to her Josh. Now would be a good time." Matt suggested. Josh only  
hesitated a second before hurrying after her. He caught up with her in the hallway, just  
before she let herself into Annabeth's room.

"Donna, wait…" Josh called to her from down the hall. "Can I…can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure." Donna answered but didn't move from in front of Annabeth's door.

"Someplace more private than a hotel hallway?" Josh suggested. Donna nodded and  
pulled out the extra key card to let them into Annabeth's room, but Josh stopped her.

"You got a different room?" he asked, his face all scrunched up with hurt.

"I stayed with Annabeth last night." Donna corrected him.

"Why?"

"I didn't think you wanted company." Donna told him plainly.

"I did." Josh told her and she looked at him skeptically. "I sort of did."

"I need a little more than to be sort of desired for company."

"I know." Josh admitted. "Will you come back to our room with me? To talk? If you don't  
want to stay with me, that's fine…well, it isn't fine, but I mean-"

"I know what you mean, Joshua."

"You always do…Will you come back with me?" he asked frightened of the answer she  
might give either way.

Donna simply nodded and followed him further down the hall to where they had been  
staying together. Josh impressed himself and Donna by getting the door unlocked on  
the first try.

Once they were inside, Josh got them both a bottle of water form the frig before sitting  
across from her in the sitting area.

"What are you doing Josh?" Josh's head popped up at her blunt question. "Why are you  
pushing me away from you?"

"I'm not trying to push-"

"The hell you're not." Donna replied hotly, tired of the denial. "If you've had some  
change of heart about us.."

"Donna, no, I swear, that's not what this is about."

"Then what is it about?" she pushed.

"I'm not entirely sure." Josh said sadly.

"Gee, maybe you could talk to someone and try to find out." Donna drawled. "If only we  
knew someone in the mental health profession…someone who could talk you through  
this and help you sort things out."

"Please don't mock me right now."

"Then don't treat me like this, Josh." Donna responded. "I have done nothing but try to  
help you, and you have done nothing but try to hurt me for it."

"I couldn't…I didn't want you to see me like this."

"Like what?" Donna asked incredulously. "Hurt, scared, upset?"

"Mentally unbalanced!" Josh shouted.

"Josh Lyman I've worked with you for 8 years, if you don't think I've seen you mentally  
unbalanced on more than once occasion you are sadly mistaken."

"This is not funny, Donna."  
"It certainly isn't." she agreed. "It's not funny that you would ask me to marry you and  
then at the first sign of trouble, ship me off on a campaign swing to avoid talking to me  
either."  
"That's not what I- okay, it's a little what I did." Josh admitted. "I didn't want you to see  
me falling apart. I'm a mess Donna, and Stanley or no Stanley, there is no cure for  
PTSD."

"How can someone as bright as you be so blatantly stupid?" Donna asked sincerely and  
had Josh bobbling his bottle of water. "When you came to Germany, I was about as  
broken as anyone could be. They told us there was a chance I'd never walk again. If  
that had been the case, would your feelings for me be any different?"

"Of course not." Josh answered.

"Then why would mine change about you because of what you're going through?"

"It seems too much to ask anyone to deal with. I have all these scars, Donna."

"I've seen every one of them. Your scars are part of who you are; of the man I love."

"I just don't get why."

"You're an idiot." Donna answered. "And you don't have to get why I love you, but you  
do need to believe that I do." Donna leaned closer to him and kissed him softly. "I've  
missed you so much, Josh."

"I've missed you, too." He said quietly and kissed her back. It quickly became heated  
before pulling away to look into her eyes. "It wasn't just this that I missed." He indicated  
the physical contact. "I missed talking to you, holding you…just being with you. Don't  
stay in Annabeth's room anymore."

"Okay." Donna agreed and earned a grin from Josh. A hour later when Donna went  
back to Annabeth's room to get her things, she opened the door to find Leo and  
Annabeth engaged in a very serious discussion and Leo was holding her hand; which  
he quickly dropped when he spotted Donna.

"I'm so sorry." Donna apologized. "I was just coming to get my things. I'll come back  
later." She exited before they had a chance to say a word. When she returned to her  
room, Josh looked at her lack of belongings with puzzlement.

"Where's your stuff?"

"I'm going to have to get it later. It seems I interrupted Annabeth and Leo."

"They can do campaign stuff while you get your things." Josh said obtusely.

"No, Joshua, I interrupted Annabeth and Leo." Donna repeated and watched as her  
fiancé struggled to interpret what she was saying.

"Annabeth and Leo doing what…Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"

"I'm really not."

"But he's…she's…"

"Don't you dare, Josh Lyman. You just take care of your own personal relationship and  
keep your nose out of theirs. Understand?"

"No problem." Josh shook his head. "I wouldn't be caught within a city block of  
discussing that with anyone."

It was nearly dinner time when Josh got the call he'd been waiting for. He told Donna he  
was leaving and walked down the hall to 'accidentally' run into Stanley Keyworth as he  
left the Santos suite.

"Josh, funny running into you here." Stanley said sarcastically.

"I asked the Congressman to call before you left." Josh replied seriously. "I know I don't  
have an appointment or anything, but I was hoping maybe I could buy you some dinner  
and we could talk."

"Josh Lyman, are you asking me out?" Stanley asked and had Josh barking out a laugh.

"Maybe if I weren't in a committed relationship right now." Josh teased back.

"Are you in a committed relationship right now?" Stanley shot back.

"December 20th." Josh replied.

"Pardon me?"

"Our wedding date. We set it a couple hours ago." Josh explained.

"That does sound committed. Well then, since a relationship is out, I guess I'll settle for  
dinner." Stanley quipped and slapped Josh's shoulder while they walked to the hotel  
restaurant.

Chapter 22

"December 20th, huh? Where is this momentous event going to take place?" Stanley  
asked after they'd ordered their dinner.

"The White House." Josh broke into one of his famous grins. "Dr. Bartlet is apparently  
insisting."

"A White House wedding after a year of Presidential campaigning and, what, 6 weeks  
after the Presidential election?" Stanley noted. "Just how are you going to pull that off?"

"They're called mothers, Stanley. We each have a biological one, and then there's Dr.  
Bartlet, who has kind of adopted both of us. The big bonus is that they'll take care of  
everything and Donna will be spared any more of the planning calls. It's a win/win."

"That should be something to see." Stanley commented.

"We'll make sure you get tickets." Josh assured him before sobering his expression. "I'm  
sorry I lied to you the other day; about having to get off the phone."

"This may shock you, but it isn't the first time someone has lied to me to avoid talking  
about a painful subject. It isn't even the first time that YOU'VE lied to me to avoid talking  
about a painful subject."

"Yeah. Anyway, I'm sorry about that."

"So why did you decide to talk now?"

"I figured if an eight your old child could deal with her demons I ought to be able to deal  
with mine…plus, I sort of promised Donna." Josh's trademark dimples appeared.

"That I believe." Stanley responded. "Tell me about the shooting."

"There's not much to tell that you haven't already gotten from the news, Stanley."

"I couldn't get your perspective from the news."  
"We were walking to the rally. Miranda and I had fallen a little behind the rest of her  
family. She was asking me questions and it was hard to hear her, so we had to stop a  
couple times…Anyway, she had just pointed something out to me in the crowd when we  
hit the ground. The Secret Service was on top of us. Next thing I knew I was carrying her  
to a van, the agent with us shoved us inside and we sped away. Miranda was practically  
hysterical. The rest of her family was in a different vehicle. They wouldn't even let us  
talk to them until we were back at the hotel."

"An hysterical 8 year old girl who'd been separated from her family. How did you handle  
that?"

"I've gotten to know Miranda pretty well during the campaign, mostly because she  
adores Donna and is always hanging around her. I just held her, talked to her, and tried  
to distract her."

"That's about all you can do in that situation Josh. How did Miranda respond?"

"She was still upset. 20 questions distracted her a bit, but I could tell she was still  
scared."

"She told me you suck at 20 questions." Stanley smiled.

"Isn't it like a break of confidentiality to tell me what she told you?"

"She also said she didn't know what would have happened to her if you hadn't been with  
her."

"The agents were right there. She'd have been fine." Josh insisted.

"Maybe, but that wasn't her perception. In her mind, you saved her. Just like in your  
mind, you didn't save Joanie."

"This has nothing to do with Jo-"

"Are you going to try to tell me that wasn't going through your mind as the van was  
speeding to the hotel? An eight year old child, separated from her family, wondering if  
anyone in her family was injured or dead. You're way too bright not to see the parallels."

Josh rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. "I just wanted my mom and dad; the night  
of the fire. I just wanted to see them or hear their voices. Every time Miranda asked for-  
begged for her parents it made shivers go down my spine."

"How could it not? Then you compound that with memories from Rosslyn…I'm surprised  
you were still able to stand when you got to the hotel."

"It was close, but I made it to our room before my knees buckled." Josh looked lost for  
moment before he continued. "I sank to the floor and if I'd had the power of movement, I  
would have left before Donna got back."

"I would have thought that was the one person you'd want to see. Having someone you  
love beside you when you're going through difficulties is one of the best things about  
having someone you love."

"Not when the someone you love is me."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that anyone who gets too close to me is… I'm a catastrophe magnet, Stanley.  
It's like some kind of Midas touch in reverse."

"So far, I seem to have avoided any freak accidents." Stanley responded.

"That's because we've mostly interacted over the phone." Josh countered.

"You seriously believe that your relationship with people puts them at risk?"

"I feel like it does." Josh corrected him. "My sister, my Dad, the President, Leo, Donna,  
even Miranda-"

"Whoa…slow down." Stanley interrupted.

"It's the truth Stanley."

"It feels like the truth, Josh." Stanley threw his own words back at him. "You're not  
keeping Donna safe by keeping her away from you, you're keeping yourself isolated  
and hurting the woman you love."

"I don't want to hurt her." Josh insisted.

"No, you want to save her; and in this case that means removing her from close  
proximity to you. It's the same dynamic that's been playing out for you since you ran out  
of a house that was on fire."

"I'm not…Stanley, I'm not saying-" He was interrupted by the waiter delivering their  
dinners. "Thank you." He said to the waiter. "I'm not saying that what happened when I  
was kid-"

"You mean the fire that took your sister's life."

"Yes." Josh said shortly.

"And the fact that you're pushing Donna, and anyone else you care about away from  
you also keeps anyone from seeing how disturbed you've been since the shooting at  
the rally."

"Yes." Josh said again.

"Just like you've had to learn how to remember Rosslyn without re-living it? You're also  
going to have to remember the fire without feeling like you're responsible for your sister'  
s death."

"But-"

"There's an 8 year old girl upstairs who would tell you what your presence and your  
connection with her meant to her when she was scared and vulnerable. There's a  
woman upstairs who would tell you how you've changed her life forever since the very  
first day you met her. Your Dad, the President, Leo; each one would tell you that you've  
added to their lives, not detracted from them."

"What about Joanie?"

"What about her?"

"You're not going to give me some line about how it wasn't my fault she died in that fire?"

"You know that already."

"Then why did this, bring all that, back into my head? Into my nightmares?"

"I believe being with Miranda is what set everything off. It was just too close a  
resemblance to what you went through; except for the tragic ending. You're biggest fear  
is someone you love leaving you, but it's inevitable that people will leave you Josh. It isn'  
t punishment and it isn't personal."

Josh continued to pick at his food, but Stanley could see he wasn't really interested in  
eating.

"What if this…I…get worse?"

"PTSD isn't progressive, Josh."

"I know that, but things were going really well for awhile. Now it all feels like it's going to  
hell again."

"It's a temporary thing. The more you talk about it, the more you share your fears, the  
more bearable things will be and you'll get back to a place where you're doing really  
well."

"How soon could I expect that to happen, exactly?"

"The less you hang up on your therapist, the sooner it will occur." Stanley told him,  
tongue in cheek.

"The nightmares…they're pretty intense. All the scenes get mixed up together. Rosslyn,  
the rally, the fire, even Gaza and I wasn't even there!" Josh complained.

"But someone you love was." Stanley pointed out. "Your emotional psyche is trying to  
sort everything out. People who've been through trauma have to work through it and if  
they don't do it consciously, then the unconscious will take care of it."

"Right."

"In the meantime, I wouldn't have a problem giving you a short term prescription for  
some sleeping pills; provided you keep our telephone appointments."

"You're not worried about giving me sleeping pills?"

"Do you think you're suicidal Josh?"

"No, but I don't feel like I'm in control either."

"That would be because you're not. That's part of your problem. When you're in charge  
of everything you're responsible for everything. Maybe it's time to admit you're not in  
charge and let go of some of that responsibility."

"I can try."

"Josh, that's all any of us can do."


	7. Time to Lead Part 7

Josh raised his hand and knocked on the door. Leo opened it within seconds.

"Have you got a minute?" Josh asked him.

"For you, I've got more than one." Leo smirked at him and opened the door wider.

Josh hesitated once he was inside Leo's room. This was going to be hard; almost  
harder than talking to Donna. He'd known Leo since he was a child and Josh knew the  
things he'd said and done to Leo had been terribly hurtful.

"I need to apologize; for how I've been treating you lately."

Leo just nodded. "You doing okay, kid?"

"Not quite, but I think I'm on the right road now." Josh told him.

"You talked to Donna?"

"And Stanley too." Josh added. "I'm really sorry, Leo."

"That's alright." Leo clapped him on the shoulder.

"You just…after all that I said…it's just alright?"

"You want me to give you a list of my personal screw ups Josh? I don't know that either  
of us has that kind of time."

"Yeah, but-"

"No buts." Leo stopped him from going on. "We just start over from here."

"I do everything in my power to toss you and Donna out of my life and both of you just  
smile and forgive me."

"Maybe it's because we both love you." Leo said uncharacteristically. "You've had to  
endure a lot in your life, but everything you've been through made you who you are  
today. Look what you've done with Matt Santos." Leo pointed out and Josh's eyes  
misted. "I'm proud of you Josh."

"I learned it all from you, Leo." Now it was Leo's turn to mist up. "You've always been the  
political mastermind; now you're running for Vice-President. I'm proud of you too."

"Okay, we're done now, got it?" Leo returned to his gruff demeanor.

"No, there's just one more thing…What are you doing December 20th?"

"Hopefully getting ready to move into my new office. Why?" Leo asked.

"I was hoping you'd be available to be my best man." Josh asked quickly, unsure of Leo'  
s reaction. Leo didn't make him wait long.

"I'd be honored." Leo smiled. "Of course if Donna is walking down the aisle and there's  
the two of us standing at the end, she might choose me."

"She might run, too, but I'll take my chances. Don't you have enough to keep you busy  
with Annabeth?"

"How much longer are we staying dark, Josh?" Leo abruptly changed the subject and  
had Josh grinning.

"The press uncovered Vinick's letter pushing the San Andreo nuclear facility about an  
hour ago; that's going to keep things hopping for at least another day. I'm thinking we  
stay dark tomorrow too, and let this be the story. What do you think?"

"I'd say it sounds like a plan." Leo agreed. There's a knock on Leo's door. "That must  
be dinner. Have you eaten yet? Would you like to join us?"

"Yes, with Stanley. Wait a second, join 'us'? Who is 'us'?" Josh asked as Leo opened  
the door to the room service waiter and Annabeth. Josh smiled. "Never mind. Enjoy your  
dinner."

Chapter 23

"Josh wake up!" Donna said urgently.

"So help me God Donna if this isn't an emergency…"

"I guess it really isn't. I just thought you'd like to know we're tied with Vinick nationally."  
Donna whispered. "Go back to sleep."

"Okay, thanks." Josh burrowed underneath his pillow again until his brain registered  
what Donna had just told him.

"We're tied…nationally?"

"Uh-huh." She said gleefully, waving a paper at him that Josh assumed was a print out  
of the national poll.

"Unbelievable." Josh sat up and took the paper from her, scanning it quickly. "We're  
ahead in South Carolina? Tell me you didn't make this up, Donna."

"I didn't make this up." Donna beamed at him. In the three days since he'd met with  
Stanley, things had gone much smoother between them. He was still having some  
trouble sleeping, and seemed to be more anxious than usual, but it was getting  
incrementally better.

Josh rolled her over on the bed until he was lying on top of her. "This calls for a  
celebration, don't you think?" He asked as he moved his hands over her body.

"We don't have time for a 'celebration' Joshua. The rest of the team will be here any  
second."

"Why?!" Josh complained while he continued to explore her with his hands and mouth.  
"Because, as I mentioned previously, we are tied nationally with Vinick and everyone I  
gathering to get new instructions with the campaign manager, which would be you."  
Donna laughed.

"I don't want to be campaign manager anymore…give it to Lou or Otto or…somebody."  
Josh went back to concentrating on Donna and elicited a moan from her before there  
was a tremendous pounding on his door.

"Josh! Josh did you see these numbers?!" Matt Santos called from the hallway. "Open  
the damn door!"

"Daddy, don't swear." They heard Miranda chastise her father. Reluctantly, Donna got  
up and opened the door. She propped it open since she figured Matt and Miranda  
would not be the last to come in even though it was very early in the morning still.

Her prediction proved accurate and Leo (with Annabeth) followed by Lou, Bram, and  
Edie all gathered, talking excitedly about the new numbers. Josh busied himself making  
some coffee while he listened in to the conversations around him. It didn't take long  
before Miranda sidled up beside him.

"Did you have any bad dreams last night?" she whispered.

"Nope. You?" Josh responded. Miranda shook her head 'no' and had to jump up to  
reach Josh's hand for a high five. Josh, after clearing it with Helen and Matt, had a  
conversation with the young girl a couple days ago and been brutally honest about his  
experiences. They'd been checking in with one another ever since.

"Miranda Maria Santos…I've been looking all over for you." Helen told the girl as she  
entered Josh and Donna's rooms.

"We're celebrating, Mom."

"Oh, really? What are you celebrating exactly?" Helen tried to stump the girl.

"Josh got us tied in the national poll!" Miranda smiled at her savior and Josh tousled her  
hair as he sipped his coffee.

"Josh did that, did he?" Matt asked all insulted.

"Uh-huh." Miranda confirmed.

"Boy have you got her snowed." Donna remarked.

"Miranda is an extremely bright and perceptive young woman." Josh buttered her up  
further. "She knows what is what."

"It's a sad state of affairs for you that you have moved down to the 8-10 year old  
demographic to find groupies." Lou added.

"Don't listen to them, Miranda. You and I are going to get your Dad to the White House.  
We don't need the rest of these useless appendages." Josh sat on the couch and  
Miranda parked right next to him.

"Well if any of us useless appendages were inclined to pitch in today, where would you  
want our efforts focused?" Leo drawled.

Josh picked up the papers again. "We need to make another swing through the South.  
Vinick has lost a lot of support there; we could pick it up if we bump up the media buys  
and add a few more stops. Mrs. Santos, are you up to a swing through Southern  
Florida?"

"Si." Helen responded. Her last trip there had been a huge success. She'd made entire  
speeches in Spanish, that she had written herself, and had sponsored several voter  
registration drives in the State. She exchanged a grin with her husband since she had  
been bragging that if he won this election it would all be due to her.

"Leo, we'll want you in South Carolina and Arkansas. That leaves our nominee free to  
hit Texas and California. If we can force Vinick to waste time campaigning in his home  
state that will be a win/win for us even if we don't take their electoral votes in 2 weeks."

"Where do I go?" Miranda piped up to ask.

Matt hunkered down in front of his daughter and stole a piece of her doughnut. "Who do  
you want to go with; Mom or me?"

Miranda chose neither. "Josh." The man in question merely shrugged.

"The kids got good taste." He proclaimed.

"Your swelling head is taking up too much oxygen in the room." Donna told him. "Here,  
talk to your mother. That should remedy the situation." Donna handed him the phone.

"Mom?"

"I have some wedding questions for you Joshua."

"I'm a little busy with a Presidential election right now, mom. We just tied Vinick in the  
national polls."

"That's great, honey, but we need to make some decisions about who will be officiating  
at the ceremony."

"I really don't care, mom. I trust you to make that call."

"Really?"

"Really."

"That means so much to me Joshua, that you would trust me to make all these personal  
decisions for you wedding. And it will mean so much to President Bartlet, too."

"President Bartlet?"

"Yes, he asked if he could have the honor of officiating at your ceremony, and I told him  
that of course I'd have to check with you, but if it's all up to me, then-"

"Wait a second, wait a second. President Bartlet would not be the ideal choice here. He  
tends to go on and on, like, forever, when he has an audience. I was worried about him  
proposing a toast. He can absolutely NOT officiate at our wedding. Do you understand?"

"So you do want SOME say in your wedding arrangements?"

"Of course I want some say, I just thought-"

"You just thought you could fob of all the detailed, grunt work on me, Abby, and Donna's  
mother." His mom nailed him.

"I wouldn't say 'fob it off'." Josh hedged.

"Maybe you wouldn't, but I would."

"Mom, I'm-"

"Very busy with a Presidential election, yes, we all know, you're very important." His  
mom continued. "What you need to remember, or have beaten into your over-inflated  
ego, is that long after the next President retires, you will be married to Donna. I know a  
lot of the details aren't important to you; they're not important to a lot of men, I get that.  
However, I guarantee you that if you don't take SOME interest and be a party to making  
this wedding personal for you, you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"Ah-kay." Josh took a deep breath. "What do you want me to do?"

"What do you want to do? And don't you dare give me a political answer."

"Well…Someone was talking about writing the vows... I think that's pretty important. I'd  
like to do that."

"Excellent." His mom agreed. "I'd like you to make a list of guests you want to include.  
Since they all have to be vetted, we should be able to cut out quite a few relatives on  
our side." She joked. "You might also want to put some thought into a wedding gift for  
Donna."

"A wedding gift? I have to choose a wedding gift?" Josh exclaimed. "I thought people just  
gave us gifts."

"Yes, they do." His mom explained patiently. "But you need to give Donna a wedding gift  
as well as give gifts to your Best Man and groomsmen."

"This is more complicated than politics."

"It certainly can be." His mom agreed. "Think about those things and get back to me  
within the next two days."

"Mom…"

"Two days or I book President Bartlet for your wedding." She threatened.

"Got it." Josh capitulated and hung up into Donna's smug smile. "Did you know I'm  
supposed to get you a wedding gift?"

"We get one another wedding gifts, yes."

"What am I supposed to get you?"

"Something from the heart…or in your case, you could fake something."

"Donna!"

"I'm kidding. Don't stress about it. You have weeks to decide."

"Me? What about you? You have to get me a gift too."

"I already got your gift." She replied smugly.

"Really? What is it?"

"Nice try." Donna smiled. "Miranda, come help me pick out a tie for Josh. They want him  
on MSNBC in 30 minutes for comment on the new poll numbers." Donna looked  
pointedly at Josh. Miranda went happily along with Donna.

"Okay, kiddo, here's the shirt and jacket he's going to wear, which tie do you think  
should he wear with it?"

Miranda perused the selection carefully; like the fate of her father's campaign rested on  
her choice. Finally, she selected a red striped tie.

"You like that one better than the blue one?" Donna held it up to double check.

"Josh doesn't like blue ties." Miranda told her simply. Donna blinked.

"I didn't know that." Donna replied. "Why doesn't Josh like blue ties."

"Cause of Joanie." Miranda straightened the jacket on the hanger.

"What do you mean, because of Joanie, Miranda?"

"I didn't want to wear my purple dress anymore, and Mom was mad because I wouldn't  
wear it, but Josh said I shouldn't wear it if it made me sad." It took a moment for Donna  
to remember Miranda had been wearing a new purple dress the day of the shooting at  
the rally. "He said after his fire, he didn't have any clothes to wear for Joanie's funeral  
and his Aunt took him shopping and made him get a blue tie. Now, he said, blue ties  
always give him that icky feeling just like I get when I see that purple dress." Miranda  
picked up the completed outfit. "I'll bring this to Josh, okay?"

Donna nodded her approval and waited until Miranda left the room before tossing every  
single blue tie she could find into the trash.

Chapter 24

"…so I don't know what he's going to do with it, but I thought I should give you a heads up."  
Matt told Josh without making eye contact with him. They were driving in the limo toward the  
private jet that was taking them to their next destination.

"Okay." Josh responded.

"Okay?" Matt asked disbelievingly.

"What did you expect me to say?" Josh asked back.

"Don't you want to talk to her or get some kind of statement from my brother?"

"No. I really think we should leave as many innocent people alone as is humanly possible."  
Josh smiled. "I doubt Vinick's going to use it, it only makes you look good at the end of the  
day, but if he does, we can handle it."

"You're awfully calm all of a sudden." Matt noted.

Josh shrugged. "Frankly, I'm more concerned about what to get Donna for a wedding gift  
than I am about Bruno losing his marbles long enough to use your brother's out of wedlock  
child against you. What else have you got?"

"I think you should go with jewelry." Matt opined and Josh laughed.

"It's not that she doesn't like jewelry; I just don't think that's the right gift for the occasion. I'll  
figure it out."

"Have you heard from Helen and Donna yet?"

Josh checked his watch. "They're probably taking questions yet. Once we board, you  
should try to get some sleep so you're fresh for Los Angeles."

"Right." Matt replied.

This last week before the election was going to be the death of him. He used to worry  
about what he would do if he won; would he be up to the job? Now, he felt like he could  
handle anything after this trip through electoral hell. Josh frequently referred to it as a  
gauntlet. That was probably as accurate a term as he'd ever heard for a Presidential  
campaign.

His blood had literally run cold when Vinick had confronted him about the checks he had  
been sending to the mother of his niece. Matt couldn't deny part of it was anger that  
anyone would use an innocent child that way. Part of it, though, was dreading having the  
conversation about subject with Josh. Matt knew his campaign manager had been burned  
badly by Hoynes…twice, on just such an issue. Matt was concerned that Josh wouldn't  
believe him or would leave the campaign rather than be confronted with another sex  
scandal with a candidate he was working for. But when the time came, Josh had merely  
shrugged and asked what else he had for him.

Miranda, Peter, and their sitter Tracy, met him at the top of the stairs when he was  
boarding the plane. Their big hugs and welcoming smiles went a long way to restoring his  
flagging spirits. He knew he should follow Josh's advice and take a nap, but when Miranda  
begged him to read with her, he couldn't say no. So he compromised and lay down with her  
while they read.

Within a half hour, Miranda was tapping Josh on the shoulder. "Can we play 20 questions  
now?"

"I thought you were reading with your dad?"

"He fell asleep. Can we?" Miranda repeated. "Play 20 questions?"

"I can't right now, kiddo. I'm planning out the last week of the Santos McGarry campaign."  
"Can I help?" she asked sincerely.

Josh looked up at her thoughtfully. "Why not? Here. Take my highlighter. Color all the state  
names that have numbers less than 5. Like this; see?" Josh demonstrated and Miranda  
nodded her comprehension.

He watched her for a minute to make sure she was doing it right, then went back to the  
campaign finances that were currently giving him a headache. How the hell had Leo done  
this twice? He snuck another glance at Miranda who had her tongue caught between her  
teeth while she struggled to keep the highlighter line straight on her page. It made him  
smile. He NEVER would have figured he'd become attached to the either of the Santos  
children; but particularly not the youngest one. Yet here he was totally smitten with her.

"Here Josh!" she nearly climbed over seat to give him the paper.

"Thanks kiddo."

"Now what do we do with them?" she asked.

"Now, WE, try to figure out how we can hit all the states where Vinick is leading by less than  
5 points. We've got your dad, your mom, Leo, and this last week, we've got the President  
and Dr. Bartlet all stumping for us. So how many people is that?'

"Five." Miranda answered. "But what about me and Peter. We can stump too."

"You're great stumpers, but you must be accompanied by a parent, so we're still at a total  
of five groups. Now, we also have to see which of those five groups poll best in the areas  
where we're trying to win votes. In Nevada, your dad is way more popular than, say, Leo,  
so we'd want to send your dad there. In Montana, we're trying to energize more women to  
vote for your dad, so sending your mom or Dr. Bartlet there would make the most sense."

"How do you remember all those numbers in your head?" Miranda asked.

"Practice." Josh replied as he spotted Tracy walking up the aisle toward them. "I think you'  
re being paged, kiddo." Miranda turned around and spotted Tracy too.

"You could hide me." She suggested.

"Limited number of hiding places on a private plane. Besides, you need to get some sleep  
so you're fresh to stump with your dad tomorrow."

"Come on Miranda, time for some sleep." Tracy chided. Miranda was a sweet girl, but she  
was definitely high maintenance. Reluctantly, Miranda followed her.

"Goodnight, Miranda. Thanks for the help." Miranda turned back and gave him a gap  
toothed grin before taking Tracy's hand. Just a few more days and they could all get some  
sleep.

*******************************************  
"You need to de-stress Josh."

"You just want more Election Day sex." Josh countered.

"I wouldn't object…but only if it would help you out." Donna teased. Josh's anxiety level was  
reaching dangerous heights. "Okay, how about 20 questions?" Josh gave her another dirty  
look. "Josh, I'm bored and you're stressed. Let's go back to our room until the next set of  
exits come out."

"God, we're not even married and already you're just using me to relieve boredom?" Josh  
objected but allowed Donna to take him into her arms while he rested his head on her  
shoulder. "Something weird is going on, Donna. I can feel it in my gut. I don't like the  
feeling."

"You have a bad feeling about the election?' Donna asked in a quiet voice. "You've been  
the one confident voice all week."

"I don't know…something." Josh persisted.

"You need to get your mind off all this for awhile…What did you decide on for my wedding  
present?"

Josh rolled his eyes at her obvious ploy. "President Bartlet helped me find it; it's a rare  
edition of a book about Wedding traditions from the 18th century. You're going to love it."

Donna's lips twitched. "I'm sure."

"Would you stop staring at the map? You're making everyone edgy!" Lou proclaimed.

"When are the next set of exits out?" Josh asked in response.

"An hour or so." Lou replied.

"Great." Josh said sarcastically. Donna lifted her eyebrows in a silent question and  
sauntered out of the room whistling. It took all of 20 seconds before Josh followed her.

Josh paced back and forth inside their war room. He couldn't erase the edgy feeling he had  
in the pit of his stomach. Being with Donna distracted him, temporarily, but then it all came  
rushing back. He pulled out his cell phone and called a familiar number.

"Hey, what do you think?"

"Could you be a little more specific?" Toby answered with a question. "Are you referring to  
the election or something else?"

"There's something else going on today? Are you kidding me?" Josh pretends to be  
stupefied.

"It's going to be close, but you already know that."

"Right. Hey, what did you get Andi for a wedding present?"

"That's personal."

"Come on Toby, I need some advice."

"You need lots of advice, nonetheless my gift to Andi was personal." Toby responded.

"Asshole. If you won't tell me what you got Andi, can you give me any ideas about what I  
should get Donna?"

"That too, should be personal." Toby refused to help.

"Okay, you're just messing with me now right?"

"Pretty much." Toby admitted.

"Why would you do that to me? On today of all days?"

"It's entertaining." Josh swore he could hear Toby's shrug over the phone.

"I'm done talking to you now." Josh said one second before he hung up on the White  
House Communications Director.

He was approached by some members of the DNC who had concerns that wanted  
addressed in the Congressman's speech were he to win tonight. Josh made a detour to  
Donna before he left the room with them.

"Two minutes tops, with these jokers, then you come find me with some excuse to get out of  
the meeting." He instructed. Donna rolled her eyes, but nodded.

********************************  
Donna was convinced that Josh almost killed them on three separate occasions while he  
drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital Leo had been taken to. He parked illegally, but  
Donna wisely chose not to mention that.

They were directed to the right floor and Donna's heart sank the moment she saw  
Annabeth sobbing in the waiting room. Those were not tears of relief.

"He..died Josh. Leo's dead." She told him before she buried herself in Josh's embrace.

Donna put her hand over her mouth to stifle the cry coming from her mouth. Josh looked  
positively dumbstruck. Their eyes met over Annabeth's head. Donna read the abject  
misery in Josh's eyes and recognized the panic at not knowing how to handle Annabeth.  
Donna carefully disentangled Annabeth from Josh and led her over to the chairs where  
Donna tried to console her. She could see Josh in her periphery, so she noticed the  
moment he left the waiting area, but she couldn't leave Annabeth alone, and she was sure  
Mallory must be here too.

What could she do about Josh? What should she do?

*********************************************  
Chapter 25

He hadn't said a word to her, not a single word the entire drive back. He'd exchanged a few  
quiet words with Mallory that Donna hadn't been able to hear standing several feet away  
from them, still holding Annabeth. The drive back was much more sedate and took twice as  
long as the trip to the hospital had taken earlier; a testament to how fast he'd been driving  
on the way there. There was also the fact that Annabeth was in the backseat now.  
Annabeth hadn't wanted to intrude while Mallory made plans with her family for Leo. Still,  
not a single word.

When they got back to the war room, everyone became quiet and still. There was the half-  
smile he gave Bram when Bram told him the media was playing Doug Westin's horrific loss  
as a win for his Congressional district, but still not a word to Donna.

Everything seemed to move in fast motion from then on until the election was called for  
Matt Santos. Cheers erupted from everywhere and hugs were exchanged while the corks  
on champagne bottles were popped. In the pandemonium, it took Donna a bit to realize  
Josh had slipped out of the room. She searched quickly and efficiently until she found him  
in Leo's hotel room.

"Josh?" she called to him quietly.

"This should have been his night." He replied without turning around. "He worked so hard  
for this and it would have been his night."

"It still is. Leo Thomas McGarry was elected Vice-President of the United Stated tonight."

"God Damnit!" Josh shouted as he threw the nearest object off the hotel room desk and it  
shattered against the wall. Donna visibly flinched. "Why does everything…ANYTHING  
positive I do come at such a terrible cost?"

Donna didn't know how to answer that so she remained quiet and watchful.

"If I'd known this was going to be the price for the win tonight, I'd have gladly thrown the  
election. What the hell do you want from me?!" Josh shouted at the ceiling and Donna felt  
her eyes fill with tears. "You took my sister, my father, my mentor; who's next?"

"Josh…."

"He almost got you too, didn't he Donna? In Gaza, he almost got you too."

"Josh, please." Donna moved into his line of sight hoping that making eye contact might  
shake him out of this, whatever it was.

"President Bartlet and I escaped; it was just luck though." Josh finally looked at her. "This is  
such bullshit."

"Please come downstairs with me. Everyone will be looking for you. The President-elect will  
be making his speech soon."

"I'm done." Josh announced as he dropped down onto the couch. "I quit."

"Josh, you can't make a decision like that right now. You're not in a good place to make  
ANY decisions right now. You're grieving."

"I really don't think the President-elect should be standing too close to me, Donnatella."  
Josh smirked. "You might want to rethink shackling yourself to me for life too."

"Don't you dare say that, Joshua. Don't you dare!" Donna started to feel her panic rising.  
This was getting out of hand. Even though she knew he was speaking from the darkest  
place in his heart, it was breaking hers. "You are exhausted, emotionally spent, and  
grieving. Please come with me and-"

"No." Josh sounded eerily calm all of a sudden. "I need a little time alone. You go back to  
the ballroom. I'll come find you later."

"I can't leave you here like this." Donna told him.

"I'll be fine." He made eye contact with her now. "I'm fine. I'm just going to sit here awhile."

"Then I'll just stay here with you. I won't say a word. I'll just sit here and-"

"And what? Babysit me?" Josh shook his head. "I'm sorry I scared you, Donna. You're right;  
I'm exhausted. Go back to the party."

"Everyone will be looking for you." She argued.

"I'm done there, Donna." He shook his head again. "I'm done." He sat down on the couch  
and held his head in his hands. Donna walked over to him and kissed his bowed head.

"I'll give you an hour. Then I'm coming back to get you." Donna vowed but Josh made no  
reply.

As soon as she left the room, he pulled out his blackberry and called the number he'd  
reluctantly programmed into his phone.

"I know you said I could call at any time, but I'm guessing you weren't anticipating 4 a.m."

"Not generally, no, but once I heard about Leo, I was kind of waiting for your call. I'm glad  
you didn't disappoint me. Talk to me."

"No, actually, I'd like to come there. I have to get out of here. Is that possible?"

"Yeah…when can you get here?"

"You're just a couple hours from Houston. I don't know when the next flight is, though."

"Call me when you get in."

"Thanks Stanley, I…just thanks."

Josh looked at his watch for the 20th time since he arrived at the airport. His flight should  
be boarding at any moment. He left a short letter for Donna, so she would know where he  
was going and that he was okay. He knew his display earlier had frightened her. Hell, it had  
frightened him. He was so angry and tired that he really couldn't see straight.

He sat back in the boarding area chair, his ever present backpack on his lap with his arms  
wrapped around it; his head resting on top of it.

"Is this what you looked like before you boarded the flight for Germany?" Josh's head shot  
up when he heard Donna's voice next to him.

"Donna, what are you doing here?"

"I'm traveling to California with my fiancé." Donna answered. "Isn't that why you left me that  
pithy, short note? So I would know where to join you?"

"Not exactly, no." Josh smiled despite himself. "So am I in trouble now?"

"No." she told him sincerely. "I was very glad to know you called Stanley. If this had  
happened even a year ago, I don't think you'd have picked up the phone and called  
anyone for help. However-"

"I knew there had to be a 'however' in there." Josh interjected.

"However," Donna continued, "I'd like you to learn that promising to spend your life with  
someone means more than just sharing the triumphs. I'm afraid if you don't master that  
lesson shortly, I may need to inflict bodily injury."

"You don't have to come with me, Donna. I can handle a flight to California and a cab ride  
to Stanley's office."

"See! You're doing it again. You act like it's my job to take care of you and today is my day  
off. When I was your assistant, I took care of you because I loved you, not because it was  
part of my job description. Incidentally, loving you is the same reason you're not getting on  
that plane alone today." She took his chin in her hand. "We are in this, all of this, together.  
You think I'm getting the short end of the stick now, but just wait until you are subjected to  
all my Republican relatives for every holiday from now until death do we part." She was  
delighted to see a little twinkle in Josh's eyes.

The flight boarding was announced and Josh stood up and held his hand out for Donna.

"Come on then. At least now I'll have someone to bug on the flight when I get bored." Josh  
noted as she took his hand. I'd better call the Congressman- I mean the President elect  
and fill him in."

"I already did." Donna reported. "He's going to hold off making any major decision for the  
next couple days; including naming his Chief of Staff. When I left, he was talking to Mallory  
about funeral plans."

Josh nodded but didn't say a word about Leo or the funeral.

"There's something else we should discuss." Donna said as they took their seats on the  
plane. "Helen offered me a position as her Chief of Staff."

"That's…perfect." He smiled. "I can't think of anyone who would do better for her."

"Really?" Donna looked at him closely. "It's an awfully big jump from senior assistant to the  
Deputy Chief of Staff to the Chief of Staff to the First Lady."

"I think you're forgetting the jobs you've done for the campaign in between those two  
steps." Josh reminded her. "And even if you hadn't done those jobs, all the work you did in  
President Bartlet's administration has more than prepared you for this. You can do this  
Donna. I know you can…IF that's what you want." He was quick to add.

"And you won't take it as one more person abandoning you if I decide to take it?"

"No." Josh smirked. "I can't even shake you off for a short trip to L.A." His face became  
serious again. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do about a job right now. Are you okay with  
that?"

"Yes, I am." She kissed him. "We'll figure all of it out together."

"Will you talk to Stanley with me?"

"Yes, I will. I love you Josh."

"Thank God." He answered and put his head on her shoulder. Within minutes he was  
sound asleep.

Two days later, they were back in D.C, having made an additional pit stop in California.  
When they entered the President elect's office they found a hive of activity and a brain  
numbing noise level. Lou spotted them first.

"It's about time!" She exclaimed. "Will you please tell these idiots that we can not include  
language about-"

"Lou, I hate to tell you this, but my job with the campaign ended at midnight two days ago.  
As much as I'd enjoy telling these idiots all manner of things, I'm really not in any position to  
do so." Josh told her, smiling. Lou threw her hands up and walked away from him.

"The President elect wanted to see you the moment you got in." Ronna told Josh.

"I'll be right there." Josh told her before turning to Donna. "You're going to see the First  
Lady elect?" she nodded. "I'll call you when I'm done."

"Josh, I need you to get a read on what's happening in the Speaker's race in the house. I'  
ve got a list of possible appointments I'd like you to give me some feedback on and I'm  
supposed to make you, make Donna, take the job as Helen's Chief of Staff." Matt Santos  
rattled off as Josh walked into his office.

"Surely, sir, you and the First Lady elect have spent enough time with Donna and I to know  
I can't 'make' Donna do anything. I can tell you though, that she's on her way over to Blair  
House right now to accept the job."

"That's a relief. Helen was afraid Donna might want to stay in the West Wing with you. Here'  
s the list of appointments." Matt handed him two pages of notes. "As Chief of Staff you're  
going to be working more intimately with some of them than I will."

"Due respect, sir, I haven't agreed to serve as your Chief of Staff. I haven't even been  
OFFERED a position as Chief of Staff."

"I thought if we just skipped over that part, you wouldn't notice." Matt smiled. "I need you  
here Josh."

"I'm not sure how much good I could do for you, sir." Josh admitted.

"I am." Matt confirmed. "I wouldn't be sitting here as President elect right now if it weren't for  
you and Donna. I know what you've been through and I can only imagine how difficult it is  
for you to be back here saying goodbye to Leo McGarry tomorrow. But I also saw that even  
through your difficulties you took time to help my daughter through hers. Even while you  
were worn out and struggling, you still managed to run a national campaign that captured  
the White House. If you can do all that now, I can't wait to see what you can pull off when  
you're rested and running on all cylinders."

"Sir, I brought Sam Seaborn back with me, he'd make an excellent Chief of Staff. You  
should sit down with him." Josh suggested.

"I'd be happy to sit down with him, I've seen his work. He can be your Deputy." The  
President elect stood to his full height and walked around his desk until he was face to face  
with Josh. "The American people, obviously high on drugs, have elected me to be their  
leader. I can't do that job without you in the COS job."

"You're going to be a great leader, sir; with or without me."

"Better with you. It's time to lead, Josh. Help me lead." Josh startled at the words that so  
exactly echoed the words John Hoynes had written to him so long ago. It made him stop  
and think about the similarities and differences between these two men. Josh still wasn't  
sure how good he'd be as the Chief of Staff without Leo to guide him, but looking into the  
face of Matt Santos, he knew he wanted to try. He and Donna had talked ad nauseam  
about all the pros and cons and in the end Josh admitted he was afraid Matt Santos wouldn'  
t want him in that spot anymore. This discussion left that fear in the dust.

"I'd be honored, sir." Josh shook the President elect's hand. "There is one condition,  
though."

Matt Santos looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Do tell."

"I'm going to need the 20th through the 27th of December off. I promised Donna we'd go  
away after the wedding."

"Believe me, if I tried to stop you Helen would have me killed in my sleep. She thinks the  
world may very well revolve around Donna Moss."

"On that, sir, your wife and I are in perfect agreement." Josh smiled and started looking at  
the list Santos had given him. "I figured you'd want Baker in the number 2 spot, it will take a  
little finagling, but we can get it done….Sir? The name after Secretary of State?"

Matt smiled at Josh's reaction. It was just what he thought it would be. "I can get you his FBI  
file if you need some more information about my nominee."

"I think I'm sufficiently familiar with Arnie Vinicks' record, but thanks for the offer. What have  
you been smoking while I was gone?" Josh's voice rose in frustration.

"Ronna, can you send Sam Seaborn?" Matt asked through the intercom.

"Seriously, sir, I realize you want to extend the bi-partisan branch, but sweet Jesus,  
Vincik?!"

"Ah, Sam Seaborn, I presume?" Matt Santos rose again and extended his hand when Sam  
entered.

"It's an honor to meet you, sir. Josh and Donna have had nothing but great things to say  
about you and Mrs. Santos."

"Thank you. I think you're going to be just what Josh needs in a Deputy Chief of Staff."

Sam looked first surprised at the President elect, then pissed at Josh.

"There must be some misunderstanding, sir. Josh asked me to come back to D.C. on a  
temporary basis to help write the inauguration address." Sam said pointedly looking at Josh.

"You did an incredible job writing for President Bartlet and I'd be happy to have your help  
on the address, but Josh says we need you in another capacity; as his DCOS."

"Sir, I'm honored to be considered, but I have a life in California; a job, a  
fiancé…a…a…boat and everything." Sam was clearly getting discombobulated being  
double teamed by Josh and the President elect. Wisely, Josh stayed silent and let the  
President elect do the heavy lifting.

"I'm asking you to serve the President of the United States and you refuse based on the  
fact that you have a boat?" Santos pushed.

"And, you know, a fiancé." Sam finished lamely.

"I assume she's portable?" Matt continued. "She's not on life support there or anything?"

"No, sir, she's quite healthy; which is more than I can say for me. I'm feeling a bit light  
headed right now. See Josh got me here under false pretenses."

"He can be very sneaky that way." Matt agreed. "Remind me to tell you about how he  
helped me get into the Democratic debate in New Hampshire sometime."

Sam turned to Josh expecting….something. He should have known better.

"I can ask Donna to talk to your fiancé, but you're on your own about the boat. Now tell  
him," Josh indicated Santos with a jerk of his thumb, "what an incredibly bad idea it would  
be to nominate Arnie Vinick as Secretary of State."

"Arnie Vinick?" Sam paused to consider the implications. "That could be brilliant."

"Sam, you and I are going to get along just fine. Come with me and I'll introduce you  
around while Josh gets his blood pressure under control." The President Elect motioned for  
Sam to follow him while Josh looked over the rest of the list.

****************************************  
Chapter 26

At one time or another, Josh had worried that he'd become suicidal as a result of his PTSD.  
Now he knew he had never been truly suicidal before; because now he knew what it was  
like to truly want to take your own life.

"…Here's another thing you might now know, the early Christians had a wedding tradition  
that involved-"

"Please, sir, I beg you; no more." Josh nearly shouted at President Bartlet. "Do you not  
think you've punished me enough for one day?"

"I certainly hope you don't let him talk to you like this once you're sworn in, Matt." Jed  
replied to Matt Santos, ignoring Josh completely.

"I've learned not to take it to personally, Jed." Josh watched the two of them knocking back  
drinks like two old pals and shook his head. He was supposed to be relaxing in the  
residence until the ceremony started. Josh thought that relaxing with the current and future  
President's of the United States was more than a little oxymoronic.

A knock at the door brought Josh's salvation and Sam entered. "Are you ready to walk  
down?"

"Yes!" Josh replied immediately and jumped up from his chair. Donna had spent the last  
two days at CJ's and Josh was dying just to see her.

Jed and Matt exchanged amused glances and followed the anxious groom and his Best  
Man down to the ceremony.

Josh knew Donna was beautiful. He'd known it since that day in February when he'd walked  
into his office in Nashua and found her answering his phone. But walking down the aisle to  
him, she simply took his breath away. He had a momentary twinge of grief when he  
remembered Leo's comment about who Donna might choose when she finished her walk  
down the aisle, but he tried to brush it off and concentrate on what he and Donna were  
about to do.

Sam had to nudge him twice when it was time for him to speak the vows he'd written for  
their wedding. Maybe the vows weren't as polished as they might have been if he'd let Sam  
help him, but Josh wanted the vows to be his words, and judging by Donna's reaction, he  
seemed to have done just fine.

In the blink of an eye, he was kissing his Bride and walking back up the aisle a married  
man. He did manage to get a couple minutes alone with her in a dark closet, but she  
insisted everyone was waiting for them and she didn't want to appear late and mussed.  
Josh couldn't have cared less.

As soon as they entered the reception, Donna was swept away from him; he got a brief  
dance with her after dinner, but that was too short lived for his taste. He sat at a table with  
Sam, his fiancé Laura, Matt Skinner, C.J. and Danny watching as the Speaker of the House  
waltzed his wife around the dance floor.

"I really don't think you should be glowering at your wife mere hours after your wedding." C.  
J. hinted.

"I'm not glowering at Donna. I'm glowering at the Speaker. You wouldn't think he'd want to  
piss off the incoming White House Chief of Staff, would you?"

"Maybe he's under the mistaken impression that the incoming Chief of Staff is a mature  
adult who wouldn't begrudge him a dance with the Bride at the wedding reception." Matt  
offered and earned a glare himself from the groom.

"Well that would be pretty stupid wouldn't it?" Sam teased. "If you're that unhappy sitting  
here catching up with your friends, you could always go and cut in."

Josh blinked. Yes, yes he could cut it. He just got up from his chair with his eyes trained  
and Donna and the Speaker when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Sit down, Joshua. It's only a dance. You'll have her for the rest of your life." His mother  
assured him as she pushed him back into his chair. "Everything is so lovely, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Josh agreed. "You did a great job, mom. Donna was thrilled with all of this."

"I'm glad. We enjoyed making the arrangements." His mom told him. "And for what it is  
worth, your vows were perfect. Aren't you glad you did that yourself?"

"Very glad." Josh's glance moved over to his wife again. "Are you sure I can't cut in?"

At that moment, the song ended and the Speaker began walking Donna back to the table.  
Josh rose to take her hand and move her closer to him to steal another kiss. Danny and  
Matt Skinner chorused 'get a room' together.

"I'd love to but Donna said to leave this early would be rude to you leeches and  
sycophants."

Donna elbowed him. "That's the kind of comment I was explaining you should NOT say out  
loud."

"I'm having a little difficulty concentrating on anything besides my wife right now." Josh  
admitted and kissed her again. Donna blushed, delighted at his open affection with her in  
front of everyone they knew and worked with.

"Donnatella." Came a new voice from behind them. "Leave this guy and come dance with  
the leader of the free world." Jed Bartlet suggested.

"Sir, I haven't seen my wife in an hour-" Josh began

"A fact that I'm sure you'll be able to remedy very shortly. Come Donnatella." Donna  
shrugged as if to say 'what else can I do?'. She took the President's free arm and  
accompanied him back on the dance floor.

"To say that you're a beautiful bride is a bit of an understatement, but is true at least."

"Thank you, Mr. President. And thanks again for allowing us to be married here. It's such  
an extraordinary honor."

"I know a way you can pay me back." Bartlet told her and had her looking at him strangely.

"And what would that be?" Donna asked cautiously.

"My wife and I have a little bet going. You could give me some inside information and tell  
me whether or not I've won or lost."

Donna couldn't imagine what he was referring to.

"Serving as President for the last eight years, I've been entrusted with some pretty big  
secrets." He assured her. "Some things that even the Chief of Staff is unaware of."  
President Bartlet looked pointedly at Josh. Donna's lips twitched and she leaned in closely  
to whisper into the President's ear.

"You've just cost me $50 you know." He complained good naturedly.

"Mr. President, I'd really have thought by now you'd have learned not to bet against your  
wife." Donna teased.

"I guess I don't have to admit I've lost right away." He brightened at the thought while the  
song they were dancing to came to an end. Donna turned back to the table Josh had been  
occupied only to find him gone. Jed, knowing who she'd been looking for, turned her in the  
opposite direction.

"There." He pointed out where Josh was completing a dance with his mother. Immediately  
their eyes locked. Without another word, Josh walked over, with his mom in tow, and left  
her in the hands of the current President while he reclaimed his wife.

"What are you doing?" Donna asked during their dance when Josh's hand kept moving up  
and down the back her dress in a peculiar fashion.

"I'm trying to get a count on the number of buttons I'm going to have to pull off this thing to  
get you naked."

"This thing, is a couture gown. You will not be pulling off any buttons."

"How about if I cut them off nice and neat? You could even save them and have them sewn  
back on later."

"Josh!" Donna protested his plan. "You will not do anything to this dress except unbutton it;  
unless you piss me off right now, and then you will not even get to do that."

"There's like 300 buttons on this thing- I mean this couture gown. Tell me the truth; this is  
some evil joke your parents are playing on me, right?" Josh asked while he began kissing  
all the available skin within range of his mouth. Donna literally felt her skin tingle and her  
knees weaken.

"Let's go back to our suite now, Donnatella. These people will stay until dawn and I don't  
want to wait to be alone with you anymore." Josh attempted to convince her, but then Sam  
took the mic to offer a very sweet and very long toast. Josh just moaned.

"Be still. Your best friend is saying very nice things about you that you don't nearly  
deserve." Donna admonished him.

"But I want to leave now. Can't we just videotape the rest of this and watch it later?"

"Shhh…" Donna scolded.

Josh was pacing restlessly while he waited for Donna to return from a private chat she was  
having with her mother, when his own mother appeared at his side.

"Stop the pacing, Joshua. She'll be down in a few minutes."

"What can they be talking about all this time? They've spent the last week together!"

"Some children would want a moment to say goodbye to their parents before they embark  
on a new part of their lives."

"Why?" Josh asked tongue in cheek until his mother smacked him on the head. "I was just  
joking…You have been so great through everything. I'm really lucky to have you for a  
mom. I really miss Dad today, you know?"

"And Joanie." His mom added. "They both would have just adored Donna. Of course Leo  
already did. He was so happy for you both Josh. He called me after your big screen  
appearance at the convention; I could hear him beaming over the phone."

"It's not going to be the same being in the White House without him."

"No, it won't. But his influence will be there, through you. I'm very proud of you Joshua."

"Thanks Mom." Josh enveloped her in a hug then looked over when his mother pointed  
toward the staircase.

"There's your bride. You know, it's late enough now, that no one would mind if you snuck  
off…" Josh grinned and approached Donna and Mrs. Moss.

"I've been given maternal permission to kidnap you now." He informed his wife. "With your  
permission?" Josh turned belatedly to Mrs. Moss. Mrs. Moss laughed at the thought that  
she could say anything that would stop Josh from leaving with her daughter at this point.

"Of course with my permission." She responded sardonically. She gave Josh a big hug and  
gave him her last minute instructions. "Take good care of my baby."

"I will. I promise." He assured her before taking Donna's hand and leading her toward the  
exit where their limo was waiting; stopping only briefly to kiss his mom goodbye.

The moment they were enclosed in the limo, Josh raised the privacy screen and attacked.  
By the time they reached their hotel he had pulled out every pin in Donna's hair and was  
working his way through the 300 buttons. Luckily, Donna had a silk wrap that hid most of  
the damage while they checked in.

Donna was impressed by the sumptuous suite; canopied bed, Jacuzzi tub, and a fireplace  
with a fire already blazing inside.

"This is perfect, Josh. I love it." Donna told him and hugged him to her.

"Well your husband, having extensive hotel experience, knew just what to look for on this  
special occasion." Josh touted himself. "I think we should start with the Jacuzzi tub and work  
our way over to the King bed before ending the evening asleep in front of the romantically  
roaring fire."

"You have it all planned out do you?" Donna smiled while her husband continued working  
on the buttons.

"If you have taught me anything, Donnatella, it has been the value of a good plan."

"Then we should get started on this plan of yours." She invited and walked toward the  
Jacuzzi tub.

It wasn't until nearly 3 hours later that Josh remembered an important part of the plan. He  
got up suddenly from where he and Donna were cuddling in front of the fire.

"Do not tell me your pager just went off." Donna warned.

"I do not even have possession of my pager, or my cell phone. I promise. I am in  
possession, however, of a wedding gift for you." Josh bragged and set two boxes in front of  
his wife.

She opened the first box and pulled out a coffee cup. Her eyebrows shot up.

Alarmed by her reaction, he quickly instructed her to take it out of the box. The cup was  
emblazoned by the word 'The Boss' and their was a typed up coupon promising free re-fills  
for the rest of their married life. Josh waited anxiously for her reaction.

"I give you my heart, and you give me a coffee cup?" she querried.

"And the coffee…plus look inside." Donna pulled out a small piece of paper and read what  
was printed on it.

"It's our reservation for the Maui Hyatt." Donna noted unsurprised; they'd chosen their  
destination together.

"Yes, but look at the dates." Josh implored and Donna took another look.

"14 days!" she looked up shocked. "How can we be gone for 14 days?"

"The President elect pointed out that we'd spend two full days traveling which would leave  
us only 5 days there. Then the First Lady elect noted that nothing really gets done  
between Christmas and New Years, and before I knew it the President was okaying a 14  
day trip."

"So what you're saying is this is really a gift from Matt and Helen."

"I agreed to it and changed the reservation all by myself."

"Very nice." Donna smiled facetiously. She noticed Josh fingering the second box which  
was considerably larger and the curiosity got to her. "Do I get to open that one?"

"I guess, but if you didn't like that one, I don't have much hope for this one." He groused.

Donna took the package from him but pause before she opened it. "I do like this one, Josh.  
14 days will be heaven and I'm going to insist you fill my coffee cup several times a day."  
She teased and saw a ghost of a smile come back onto his face. "In fact I'm sure there's a  
Starbucks on Maui, I'll just have you-" she broke off when she saw the contents of the  
larger box. She doubted Josh knew it was called a shadow box, but she did. Inside were two  
objects with Josh's familiar scrawl written beneath each of them.

The first object was the campaign badge from "Bartlet for America"; he must have pinched  
it from her memory box. Underneath it, he'd written 'The first day of our lives together.".  
The second item was the security badge from the convention dated the night Matt Santos  
had won the nomination; the night Josh had proposed. Underneath that he had written  
"The first day of the rest of our lives together."

Tears spilled over her face. "Josh, you buried the lead."

"I did?"

"You did; but that's okay." Donna kissed him tenderly. "This is perfect." Josh's smile  
bloomed when he realized he'd inadvertently done just fine on the gifts.

"Of course it is." Josh said brazenly. "Let's see what you've got that can top that." He  
challenged her.

"Well it's a tough gig, but I think I can do it." She smirked and retrieved a small package  
from her suitcase. Josh tore it open like a kid on Christmas morning. He opened the box,  
rolling his eyes when he had to cut through several pieces of tape to accomplish that.

He pulled out the book inside and opened the cover. He look puzzled for a minute while his  
brain processed what he was reading.

"It's a baby book." He stated.

"Yes, it is." Donna confirmed.

"But we don't have a baby, Donna." Josh told her certainly.

"We kind of do." Donna countered.

Josh's eyes went wide. When they'd agreed she would go off her birth control a few months  
ago, it was primarily because her doctor said it might take 6-9 months to conceive after she  
stopped taking the medication. They wanted to start a family right away so…

"We kind of have a baby?" He questioned.

"Well, we will in another 6 months." Donna stipulated. Donna got a bit nervous when Josh  
didn't say anything. He just continued to page through the book. He suddenly got up and  
got a pen.

"I don't think you can guess about any of the information they ask for in that book Joshua."

"I'm not guessing. It says, 'When we found out about the baby_'." Donna  
watched while Josh filled in the blank with words that described his joy at becoming a  
father. Donna then added her own thoughts.

"I guess you could top my gifts after all." Josh admitted.

" Technically, this was a gift from you too." Donna noted.

"Hey, that's right!" Josh exclaimed. "You really should find a way to thank me sufficiently  
Donnatella."

"I'll work on it, Josh." Donna replied somberly. "Maybe I can think about it while you go get  
me some decaf." She handed him the cup and smirked.

"I'm going to indulge you Donna, because you're carrying my child."

"Very wise of you Josh." Donna agreed. "14 days in Hawaii…"

She laid back down on the bed awaiting her coffee. She quietly turned on CNN to see if  
there was an coverage of the wedding. She got caight when Josh returned with her coffee.

"I thought we agreed no news on the honeymoon." Josh was delighted to have caught her  
first.

"This isn't the honeymoon, this is the wedding night. The honeymoon doesn't begin until we  
leave on our trip to Maui." Now Josh didn't really buy this exception but since he too wanted  
to see what they were covering, he let it go. The president elect was answering a question  
about his discussion with President Bartlet at the wedding.

"The President generously shared many suggestions and advice with me about what he's  
learned about leading the American people. It's a daunting job, but I have been blessed  
with experts on my teams that will help me lead once President Bartlet steps down."

"He's talking about you, you know." Donna risks puffing his ego.

"No he's talking about us, Donnatella. We're the team; and since we have a lot of leading  
to do, we're going to hit the ground running once we return from Maui."

"I'm ready. Are you?' Donna pressed.

"Yes, I am, but since we don't have a lot of time before we have to be back to help lead, we  
should take advantage of the time we do have." Josh suggested and pulled her down to  
the blanket in front of the fireplace. They fell asleep, naked, in one anthers arms; Josh's  
arm splayed across Donna's stomach. The Fatherly instinct kicking in already as he  
covered his growing child inside his wife's body.

He would have to lead the way for this tiny baby, too. This child no bigger than his pinky  
finger, would be reaping the rewards of their hard work.

It was an awesome thought to entertain. His child…their child...(he mentally corrected  
himself stealing a glance at his wife's closed eyes like she could read his mind) their child  
was counting on them to make things different in this world. For the first time in a long time,  
Josh thought it might be exactly the right motivation with which to begin his new job with a  
new administration and his new wife.

"Stop thinking about the policy implications of our new baby, and go to sleep." Donna  
instructed and made Josh chuckle.

Josh snuggled in closer to his wife and child; Donna wrapping his arms more securely  
around her. Yes, the next few years were going to be very interesting; and he was ready to  
lead.

The End.


End file.
